An Arlington high school is helping a teenager who is battling cancer for the second time.
Taylor Helland, a saxophone player in the Martin High School band, has signet ring cell adenocarcinoma, a rare form of cancer.
"I fought it once and thought it was done, and it came back again, and it's kind of like a slap in the face -- like, here, you go do it again," she said.
Doctors at first thought a virus was causing stomach pains that started when she was 14. But doctors found a mass in her colon when the pain got worse.
Helland had a portion of her colon removed and underwent intensive chemotherapy at MD Anderson Center in Houston.
"She went through a period of six months of crystal-clear scans," said her mother,Julia Helland. "Then, in September of this year, she started having some pains."
The Martin and Arlington high bands and other students groups have raised money for Taylor Helland by selling "Support Taylor" shirts and collecting donations.
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This year, Helland was even named honorary homecoming princess.
"My school and my band have really helped me out," the Martin High School student said. "They've been supporting me every day and every step of the way."
"Those high moments are really wonderful," said her father, Bob Helland. "They make us forget about the bad stuff for just a little bit."
The Helland family says the best way to help her and others is to donate to cancer research. People can also donate to the Taylor Helland Fund online or at Chase bank.
Taylor Helland Fund
Chase bank
Account No.: 408027378
Routing No.: 111000614
