Miracle Moment: A girl’s courageous battle with cancer

A local diner is serving more than pancakes as a local community has banded together to help a teenager battle cancer.

Fifteen-year-old Alba Cuka is the artist behind the custom T-shirts being sold at Mel’s Diner.

The collaboration came from Cuka’s mother having previously worked at the diner location.

Cuka, a student at Riverdale High School, designed the shirts while battling her cancer diagnosis.

“I feel really good about myself having designed this shirt, standing right here while people are buying it,” said Cuka. “It makes me feel good about myself that I’ve designed something people will actually wear and buy and support.”

At the age of 12, Cuka recalled waking up with severe pain in her leg. Following a visit to the doctors, Cuka and their family were presented with the worst possible diagnosis: Leukemia.

Two years later, Cuka endured massive obstacles, including hair loss from chemotherapy.

To help Cuka regain some normalcy, her mother brought in seven boxes of wigs in many colors to best suit her daughter’s head.

Now, she can enjoy a rainbow of options, returning joy into her life.