ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Christina Gonzalez can't get enough of her daughter, Laylani's laughter.

"She’s really happy," said Gonzalez.

The baby's smiles keep Gonzalez going.

Laylani was diagnosed with cancer in March, when doctors found tumors in the one-year-old's head.

"Two places in her head but instead of attaching to her brain, they ate through her skull.”

Cancer isn't the only medical scare. Laylani was born with a rare genetic disorder.

"I think I just take it day by day," said Gonzalez. "There’s not really anything else because one day is good and one day is really bad.”

The mother of three  has 16 brothers and sisters, she is standing up to cancer with help from a strong support system.

"My siblings are super supportive.”

And support from a second family at the Ronald McDonald House. Which provides a place to stay, meals and more.

Which means mom is close to Laylani who is in the hospital.

"If it wasn't for this, I don't know what I would do." says the mother who doesn't have to worry about traveling to and from Brooksville. "They help with everything."

And she's with other families also staying at the Ronald McDonald House, experiencing a similar journey.

"I can connect with someone who actually understands, who feels the emotions that I’m feeling with their own child," said Gonzalez.

Other parents who know what it's like to get that diagnosis, then see their child endure several surgeries before they even turn two years old.

"There’s just times that it breaks me down seeing her so fragile," said Gonzalez.

Other moms and dad who also watch their babies get chemotherapy.

"It was so strong that we had to do two six weeks of straight continuous chemo and just recently we’re down to every three weeks," said Gonzalez.

With the tumors removed, mom says Laylani is responding to treatment.

"Now she’s flipping over, she’s trying to babble, she’s doing things week after week that I’ve never seen before, so it’s really great, we’re getting there," said Gonzalez.

A mom celebrating milestones.

"I never realized in such a little package how resilient, how strong they can be, now matter what, she’s always smiling," said the proud mother.

Standing up to cancer, no matter what. Even when it gets tough.

“Everytime I’m like sad or things are getting too rough, I just look over at her and she’s always smiling and she’s always just like a little ray of sunshine,” said Gonzalez.

And doing it from a house of hope.

"Everytime I see that she’s so happy, I’m like, we got this,” said Gonzalez.