Cody Bailey

At 14 years old, Cody has carried more than most kids his age ever should. As Arya’s older brother, he’s walked beside her through every step of her cancer journey—often sacrificing his own needs to help hold our family together. Whether it meant missing out on football games, quiet evenings with his Legos, or time with friends, Cody never complained. He simply showed up—with love, patience, and strength.
He’s the kind of brother who offers comfort without words, who keeps the house filled with laughter even when the days are heavy. Cody loves football, video games, reading, playing trombone, and building with Legos—but more than anything, he loves his siblings. His quiet resilience and big heart have been a guiding light for us all, and we’re so proud of the young man he’s becoming.

Arya’s Journey Fighting Cancer
In 2021, our world was turned upside down when my daughter Arya was diagnosed with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. She was just a child, but the fight ahead of her was anything but small. We spent three long months in the hospital, where Arya endured more than most adults ever will—two surgeries on her arm, multiple central lines and port placements, a G-tube, bleeds in her retinas, and even the removal of a lobe of her lung. A chest tube followed. Each procedure was a mountain to climb, and Arya faced them all with quiet bravery.
During those early days, I was also pregnant. At 21 weeks and 3 days, I delivered a stillborn daughter. The very next morning, I returned to Arya’s hospital room—grieving one child while fighting for another. Two days later, Arya was discharged, still dependent on continuous IV fluids, tube feedings, and intermittent IV medications. I left my career as a nurse to care for her full-time. Her older siblings had to stay elsewhere to protect her fragile immune system, and our family was stretched thin—emotionally, physically, and financially
Arya’s path to maintenance was long and filled with setbacks. It took over a year to reach that milestone. In 2022, her father—who had been estranged from us and his family—passed away from metastatic lung cancer. In the wake of his passing, we reconnected with his family, giving Arya the chance to know a part of her roots.
That November, Arya became a big sister to baby Heather. But in 2023, for the well-being of everyone, we made the difficult decision to leave Heather’s father. Since then, I’ve been working hard to rebuild our lives. Arya completed her cancer treatment that year and was later diagnosed with ADHD. In 2024, I was blessed with a new job in a field that allows me to work from home most of the time—giving me the flexibility to care for my children while also going back to school full-time to grow in my career.
Arya’s journey has been one of unimaginable pain, resilience, and hope. She is a warrior in every sense of the word. This Christmas, any help would be a tremendous blessing to our family. It would ease some of the weight we carry and bring joy to a little girl who has fought so hard to be here.
Thank you for reading Arya’s story—and for holding space in your heart for families like ours. Your kindness means more than you’ll ever know.

Football, video games, trombone, reading, legos

Shirt Size: Men's Medium
Pant Size: 34
Shoe Size: 12

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