8-year-old cancer patient becomes honorary LA Rams cheerleader for a day

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The past four years have been an incredible tough battle for 8-year-old Delilah Loya. In 2019, she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer that commonly affects the adrenal glands.

"She's been through so much. But she's not that happy little girl anymore. She's not the happy little girl that she once was," her mother Samantha Loya said. "You watch your child just fight for their life, every day of their life."

Samantha describes Delilah as a spunky and fiery little girl with dreams of being an archaeologist and a cancer doctor to help children like herself. Lately, Delilah hasn't been herself due to the cancer treatments. Some days, Delilah is in so much pain that she can't get out of bed.

When influencer Isaiah Garza heard about Delilah's battle, he stepped in to help. After pulling a few strings, he helped Delilah become an honorary L.A. Rams cheerleader for a day.

"It was really fun," Delilah says. "I got to cheer and shake my pompoms."

Samantha couldn't have been more overjoyed at the sight of her daughter at the game.

"It was so awesome to see her with other little girls her own age, older or younger having fun just like them with pompoms in her hand. It was just so nice to see her happy," Samantha said.

It was a blissful moment that Delilah will not forget.

Delilah is currently undergoing chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. She has three tumors, and during her last check, they said she currently has 5% cancer in her bone marrow.

Delilah and her family live in Bakersfield, commuting two hours every other day to get treatment. The financial burden has hit the family hard and is stacking up due to medical bills, gas costs and hotel stays.

Samantha says the cost of living in the L.A. area is too steep, and the family has two other children. They're asking for the public's help to donate to their GoFundMe page to help Delilah continue treatment.

Now, Delilah's hope is to get out of the hospital so she can spend Christmas with her family in Texas.

"I know she's going to live a beautiful life," Samantha said. "This is just one small setback, but she's going to be fine one day."