SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Research shows that each year nearly 100,000 children die from cancer worldwide. 

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month and our Lakyn McGee a single mother that is fighting for a cure for her daughter who has a rare genetic disorder.

“It can cause tumors basically anywhere up until she’s 5-years-old,” said Tonya Morris.

Turning one just last month Lana has been in chemo since she was 6 months old. 

“We were at her pediatrician and they started noticing these spots,” Tonya said. “They’re called café au lait spots and we noticed she was having more. And the result of doing a test we released she had the tumors behind her eyes.”

Doctors revealed that Lana’s tumors are growing about 4 millimeters every three months. And being a single mother, Tonya says she never expected this would happen to her baby girl.

“I don’t have time to break down,” Tonya said. “If I break down then it’s going to stress her out and I can’t do that.”

By the time Lana was 6 months old, Tonya explains that she had been to 100 doctors appointments and hospital stays.

Hoping the tumors will stabilize this mother-daughter duo is trying to live as normal of lives as possible.

“With the chemo, she can’t be out in the sun for very long,” Tonya said. “So, we pack on the sunscreen and put on a hat and carry an umbrella.”

With doctors appointments every Monday Lana’s personality shines through, giving hope to her mother that the tumors will stop growing.

Tonya says that once the tumors stop growing Lana can stop chemo. 

But it’s more than likely they won’t stop until she’s 5 years old.