Return of cancer takes its toll on boy's family

HOUSTON – Alejandro Mendoza is a 7-year-old kid fighting his second battle with leukemia, a form of blood cancer.

It’s a lot to handle for someone so young, and not only does it take a toll on him, it hits the whole family hard.

During his first battle with cancer, Alejandro spent eight months at Texas Children’s Hospital without going outside once while doctors treated a fungal infection and administered chemotherapy.

The whole family literally lived at the hospital to be with and support Alejandro.

His mom, Maria, worried as much about his brother Christian as she did about Alejandro.

READ: Cancer relapse leaves 7-year-old looking for bone marrow donor

“I'm sure, emotionally for him it was very rough,” Maria said.

Life was hard financially too.

"It takes a toll on you financially because, you know, you're not working as much,” she said.

That, combined with a long list of medications that aren’t fully covered by insurance, adds stress to an already difficult situation.

But the family survived, and was made stronger by their shared experience.

Watch: Wednesday's Warrior: Alejandro Mendoza

Alejandro was declared cancer-free in early 2016.

Fourteen short months later, in June of this year, his cancer returned.

Alejandro will need a bone marrow transplant to survive his second bout with leukemia.

His mom, dad and brother are being tested to see if they are a match. If they are not, Alejandro’s doctors will seek a match from the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

The family continues to fight.

They are tested and they are strong.

They will need that strength to beat cancer a second time, and that’s exactly what they plan to do.

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Meteorologist, runner, triathlete and proud Houstonian.