Elliana Leopold may look like any other smiling toddler, but she’s been battling cancer since September.

But Elliana and her parents, Tyler and Mandy Leopold, are not alone in their fight, as the Austin Community and Tyler’s hometown are teaming up to help the them.

The Austin Packers girls basketball team is teaming up with the Heron Lake-Okabena Wildcats to raise money for 1-year-old Elliana at the team’s Jan. 10 non-conference game.

“The whole experience is humbling,” Mandy said. “You know that you have a good support system, but when something like this happens, it’s overwhelming how many people want to truly help.”

The Packers will make the two-hour trip west to play the Wildcats as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Program. The game, dubbed “Two Teams, One Cause,” will raise money for Elliana and her family.

Elliana was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in September, and she is now receiving chemotherapy to shrink the tumor in her chest. Mandy said that Elliana has had to spend a lot more time at home since the diagnosis, but other than that, she’s been handling it well.

“She is amazingly resilient,” Mandy said. “I don’t think she would think life is much different right now except we spend three days at the hospital in Rochester every week. We don’t go out in public with her as often, and she doesn’t get to see her friends from day care.”

Tyler, who plays for the Austin Greyhounds and works in the financial department for Hormel Foods Corp., grew up in Heron Lake-Okabena. His old varsity baseball and basketball coach, Tim Owen, is now an assistant girls basketball coach with the Packers. Owen helped organize the fundraising game.

Tyler has kept in touch with Owen since high school, and the two have talked often since Owen moved to Austin a couple of years ago.

Tyler said the support from the Austin and Heron Lake-Okabena communities has been outstanding.

“It’s pretty awesome to see the connection and the support you see from both sides,” Tyler said. “It’s nice to see your hometown doing something and your current town — where you probably don’t know as many people and it’s bigger. They kind of came together and it’s nice.”

Mandy, who is originally from Boyd, Minnesota, said the outpouring of support has been strong since Elliana’s diagnosis. Mandy, a teacher in the Austin School District, is on leave from work to take care of Elliana.

Neuroblastoma is a form of cancer most commonly found in children under five. There are about 500 cases of neuroblastoma in the U.S. every year.

T-shirts promoting the game are available by contacting Owen at I.J. Holton Intermediate School, 1800 Fourth Ave. NW. T-shirts are $12 for small through extra large and $15 for larger sizes. Orders are due by Monday. All proceeds from the sale of the shirts will be given to the Leopold family to help with medical expenses.

For more information about Elliana and her treatment, visit her Caring Bridge site at www.caringbridge.org/visit/ellianaleopold or www.facebook.com/prayersforelliana. Funds can be donated to the Leopolds through www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/prayers-for-elliana-leopold/245009.