ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sarcoma is a rare cancer that one New Mexico family wants everyone to know about, especially as July is National Sarcoma Awareness Month.

“When the growth started, they told me that it was a stress ball when I went to go see the doctors,” Mariah Solano said.

After some time, that lump on Mariah Solano’s shoulder wouldn’t go away. It got even bigger, so she went back to the doctor.

“We went and got it checked again, and they said that they thought it was a lipoma, like a fatty growth, so we got it removed, And it took a while for the testing to come back,” Mariah said.

When the tests came back, it wasn’t what Mariah and her family were expecting. It turned out to be alveolar soft part sarcoma, or ASPS. According to the National Cancer Institute, there are only 80 diagnoses each year in the U.S.

“It was just like someone had punched us in the gut, especially when they tell you that your child has cancer and then to hear that its a very rare cancer,” said Nora Solano, Mariah’s mom.

The cancer soon spread to Mariah’s lungs. Because of its rarity, there weren’t a lot of treatment options in New Mexico. The family turned to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. It’s been a year now since the initial diagnosis and a year of treatment. Despite the ups and downs, one thing is clear.

“I’m not going to let this take anything from me. If anything, it’s shown me to appreciate everything more and to just be thankful,” Mariah said.

She said she is living life to the fullest. She’s trying new things while keeping her faith and her family close. As she continues her health journey, she wants to remind others to stay alert.

“I want to encourage everyone to get checked and to stay up on their health. Always ask the questions when you’re not sure when you don’t feel comfortable with the answer,” Mariah said.

The family travels back-and-forth from Santa Fe to Houston for Mariah’s radiation treatments. They will continue making that trip in the future too. They have a GoFundMe to help pay for expenses that insurance doesn’t cover.

To donate or learn more about her journey, click here.