Help this Pregnant Woman as she Battles Leukemia

This beautiful first-time mom-to-be from Manasquan is facing the challenge of her life: delivering a healthy baby while fighting cancer. Here's her story and info on how you can help.

Laila Hardy Johnson was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia nine years ago. She fought that battle and came out of it cancer free.

In the years since, she has dedicated her life to wellness, becoming a holistic health counselor, personal trainer and life coach. Always positive and upbeat, she never looked back.

Two years ago Laila married the love of her life, Erik. And recently, to add to their happy life, they found out they were pregnant -- a miracle baby! Because the chances of Laila conceiving naturally were very slim since she had been treated so intensely all those years ago for the cancer.

As Laila and Erik basked in the happiness of getting ready to welcome their first child, life took a drastic turn. Laila found out this past April that her leukemia had returned.

Now it is not only her life, but the life of her unborn baby boy that Laila has to fight for. She is surrounded by a strong team of doctors, which was a challenge in and of itself to find, since trying to treat cancer while a mother is pregnant is an unusual case.

Laila is being treated at Cornell in NYC. Her doctors told her she needed to stay in the city in order to be close to the hospital for treatments for both herself and the baby. She is currently spending most days in an apartment donated to her during her pregnancy and treatment by a kind soul.

Laila tries to come home most weekends when her counts allow, because she misses being here at the Jersey Shore. And although she has loved her career, and would see many of her clients locally in Belmar at DeCarlo Fitness, she hasn't been able to work since treatment started. Yet she is still trying to help clients online or via phone, because it makes her feel better to be helping others as best she can.

Laila has begun modified treatment in NYC until the baby is far enough along to be safely delivered. Delivering the baby early poses challenges of its own under the most normal of circumstances. But Laila can't start the full course of treatment for the cancer until the baby is delivered.

As a mom, my very first thought was to reach out and try to help this beautiful family. As you can imagine, Laila is surrounded by friends, family, and neighbors who are providing her with love and support. In fact, this very story that you're reading came from a good friend of Laila, named Alexandra, who has set up an online fundraising site so that anyone can make a donation.

After all, just fighting leukemia or just having a baby costs money. But imagine trying to do both...under the most challenging of circumstances...and having to worry about the bills adding up.

Laila is unable to work as she fights for her life and the life of her baby and undergoes her treatments. Her husband is working, and is also by his wife's side every step of the way doing what he can. But they will need to hire a caretaker for the baby since Laila will be undergoing full-on treatments for her leukemia while trying to take care of a newborn, with her husband having to work.

With her chemo once the baby is born, Laila will not have the strength to take care of the baby alone because her full-on treatments will last for two years...possibly even three.

Hospital bills, doctor bills, baby nurse, diapers, formula (breastfeeding is not an option during chemo), baby clothes --- it all adds up. That's why Alex is saying that despite Laila and Erik's pride, in crisis, we need to lay it all out there and accept the help of others.

CLICK HERE if you would like to make a donation and send well wishes.

Laila, you and your baby are in my prayers.