It was an ordinary day. Reading a story in the Lititz Record Express about a young girl by the name of Aliyah. Aliyah is a student at the Warwick Middle School in nearby Lititz, Pennsylvania. She is 15 years old and in 8th grade and has lived a life that most of us could never have survived. As a baby she was born over two months early and was suffering from severe medical issues. To survive, she was in need of several organ transplants. At the age of 11 months she underwent surgery at Boston Children's Hospital and received a new liver, small intestine, pancreas and a portion of her stomach. Luckily for Aliyah, her mother was a nurse and was able to care for her daughter when she returned home after her surgeries. Aliyah is the second of four children, having an older and two younger brothers. The more I read her story in the Lititz newspaper, the more I began to admire this young girl who has experienced more in her lifetime than myself and my entire family have ever had to go through. The photograph that was shown in the newspaper is of a young girl who has a big smile on her face. Only someone who has survived her ordeal could have a smile that big spred across her face. All I could think of while looking her in the eye was...Bravo! The story told that with all her surgeries and medications to fight organ rejection, Aliyah's immune system is compromised. She has many medical issues such as lung and breathing issues. Therefore, being exposed to COVID-19 must be avoided. She tells that it has been hard being at home instead of at school with her classmates since she is a very social person. One of her best ways to survive her home schooling is through music. Her Middle School teacher and Aevidum Club (Aevidum means "I've got your back) advisor, Elton Sturges discovered her musical talent and encouraged her to write and sing her own songs. Seems that Aliyah is an accomplished piano, ukulele and guitar player who has a beautiful soprano voice. She loves to perform songs of hope, accompanying herself on ukulele or guitar. On one video she made she recorded her voice several times, creating her own harmony. She then posts her videos on her Facebook page known as "Hope Notes." Some of her songs examine feelings of fear and loneliness while expressing her feelings she shares with friends. As you can imagine, Aliyah is no stranger to hospitals and reaches out to patients by delivering cards to those in need. Her first song she wrote was titled "By Your Side" which was inspired by Bruno Mars and tells those listening that she will be there to comfort them. Her second song was "Help Me Up," in which she cries out to God asking him to help her stay on the right path. Another song she wrote told about dealing with change and weathering the storm. It came about due to the change she went through when she went from a hospital in Boston to a hospital in Pittsburgh for followup care. The song was titled "Broken Tree." "If You Say" was yet another song that helped her cope with transitioning from one hospital to a new health care team. Her 14th song was titled "Battle Cry" which she wrote when her older sister tested positive for COVID-19. She expressed her fear and worry, asking God for his help during a tough time in her life. She is now trying to educate others about the importance of organ donations, telling how they saved her life. She is not able to be vaccinated due to her compromised immunity, but her family members have all received their vaccinations.
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| Miss Aliyah Dieffenbach |
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