Several months ago, infant Amiyah Victoria Lopez was diagnosed with Stage III liver cancer.
Manteca girl, who will turn age 1 on Saturday, will have her last final chemotherapy on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
That’s the same day as the Manteca High girls soccer program’s annual Kicking for a Cure game at Guss Schmeidt Field against Lathrop.
The Valley Oak League clash benefiting Amiyah Lopez and her family will take place at 5 p.m. with the junior varsity game followed by the varsity contest at 6:30.
“(Amiyah) has been doing well with the treatments,” said her mother Elisa Vallejos.
She and Amiyah will be at the Oakland Kaiser Hospital earlier in the day with hopes of getting to the Kicking for a Cure game in time.
Amiyah Lopez was 7 months old when she was first diagnosed with liver cancer, according to Buffaloes soccer coach Justin Coenenberg.
Since 2011, his program has raised a total of $48,196 for the Kicking for a Cure game. The first two years benefitted the American Cancer Society while 2013 went to the Riley Simmons Fund.
After that, the games helped out local youngsters Noah Valdez (2014), Destiny Herrera (2015), and Isaac Flores (2016).
The big change for this year is moving the game up from April to February.
“Our girls soccer program used to play in the spring but was switched to the winter schedule this year,” Coenenberg said.
He’s hoping once again for the support of local folks and businesses.
“We are looking for help with this event so we can assist Amiyah and her parents Angelo Lopez and Elise Vallejos during this challenging time,” said Coenenberg in his letter that went out a few months ago.
Amiyah, who has been receiving treatments for a cancerous tumor resting on the main portal vein of her liver, was added to the American Liver Foundation Transplant list.
“But doctors have not yet determined if that will be their path,” said Coenenberg, who noted that Amiyah’s father is a perfect match, if needed, to be a partial donor.
Kicking for a Cure will include a silent auction during both games. All of the proceeds and the gate receipts with help out Amiyah and her family.
The Kicking a Cure game is a chance to bring local awareness and hope against childhood cancer while also supporting children in the community who are battling this terrible disease, Coenenberg said.
For more information, call 209.608.0652.
Donations can also be sent directly at:
MHS Athletic Boosters-Kicking for a Cure
c/o Manteca High
450 E. Yosemite Ave
Manteca, CA 95336
