Ask any parent out there and they’ll more than likely tell you that there’s nothing they wouldn’t do for their child.

The day we become a mother or father, our lives change in the most indescribable ways. We accept that we will spend the rest of our time on this earth caring for, cherishing, and worrying about the new life that we have given unto the world.

And yet, sadly, there are some things that no parent can prevent. Accidents and illness are as much a part of human life as joy and celebration are, and each year far too many children find themselves suffering from situations and ailments that are wholly out of their control.

Alina and Aaron Edwards’ world was changed the day they learned that their nine-year-old daughter, Emma, had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Though obviously heartbroken, they desperately clung to the hope that she could beat cancer, only to be dealt a devastating blow when doctors told them after a few months that there was nothing further they could do to save Emma’s life.