SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Alexia Martinez’s room looks like many other 12-year-olds'. But for the last year and a half, her childhood has looked a little different.
“She was diagnosed October 2024 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia,” Aimee, Alexia’s mother explained.
The diagnosis changed everything.
To protect her health, Alexia stopped going to school in person. Even simple things most kids take for granted, like attending a birthday party or seeing friends, became risks her family had to carefully navigate.
“I definitely missed seeing my friends in person and going to school and having the school routine,” Alexia said.
At just 11 years old, Alexia attended weekly doctor appointments and underwent chemotherapy.
“The first month was a full force of trying to get rid of all of the leukemia cells so that was the most intense part,” Aimee said.
“When I would be sick, I wouldn't do anything cause I didn't feel good,” Alexia added.
But even on the hardest days, Alexia found ways to keep being a kid.
She started a YouTube channel, tried new nail designs and spent as much time with her family as she could.
When chemotherapy caused her to lose her hair, a donated wig from Wigs for Kids helped her through one of the most difficult parts of treatment.
Her mom, Aimee, was so moved by the experience that she donated her own hair too.
But these days, life looks a little different.
Alexia is now in the maintenance phase of treatment and only needs to go to the hospital every few months.
“She gets to live her normal life,” Aimee said.
And today, she’s rocking a new look, her hair has grown back into a stylish bob.
“My dad had to teach me how to style my hair now that its short, I love it!” Alexia said.
And this week brought a milestone her family once could only hope for. She was promoted from elementary school this week.
After more than a year of online learning, Alexia returned to school in person this spring.
And she didn’t just catch up, she excelled by finishing her elementary school chapter with a 4.0 GPA.
“For her to just jump right back in and just pick up where she left off and more was very unbelievable but at the same time, that's my girl!” Aimee said.
The 4.0 GPA Alexia worked hard to graduate elementary school is impressive but her family said what makes them most proud is the determination she’s shown through every challenge.
When ABC 10News reporter Olivia Gonzalez-Britt asked her what advice she’d offer to any other child undergoing a similar situation, Alexia said, “You’ll get passed it."
A simple message from someone who knows just how hard the journey can be.
And for her mom, there’s a lesson in all of this too.
“You can do it,” Aimee said. "You can do anything that you set your mind to. It's in you. You're capable. It's gonna be hard, but you have a community that surrounds you. You're never alone.”
A year ago, this family was learning how to navigate a life-changing diagnosis. Today, they’re celebrating milestones that once felt uncertain.
And while the road ahead still includes treatment, it also includes friends, school, big dreams and a future filled with possibility.
“Anything could happen in life,” Aimee said. “It's how you overcome those challenges and yes, you allow yourself to feel sad and to go through those emotions of heartache, but you keep moving forward. And that’s exactly what Alexia is doing."
