When people speak about Alena (19), they use words like brave, tough, social, and funny to describe her. Alena was born with two rare conditions. One is an abnormality off the 18 and 21 chromosome which caused her to be diagnosed as intellectually disabled. The other is classified as a rare blood disorder that would eventually lead to a Bone Marrow Transplant at 8 months old giving her a 1% survival rate. She survived but subsequently after three years, she would be diagnosed with yet another life-threatening condition. This caused her to endure countless procedures and hospital stays for 11 years of her life. In 2018, she would undergo a Liver Transplant and life as she knew it would change dramatically enabling her to live her best life possible. Nowadays, people can find Alena engaged in various activities. She is always up for a good adventure and participates in many social and school activities. She enjoys art, music, sports, gardening, cooking, horseback riding, and bowling. Alena’s story exemplifies courage, faith, and that giving up is never an option.
