McHenry teen battling Leukemia gets surprise visit with Javier Baez

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Brianna Barker, 15, doesn't make it to many Cubs games because she's battling Leukemia. She thought she was celebrating her mom's birthday at the Friendly Confines on Friday when she got thrown a curve ball.

Brianna has been in and out of the hospital since she was five. She's a lifelong Cubs fan and her favorite player is Javy Baez.

"it's kind of funny because she gets tired of watching all of the games, but we have to call her in from her bedroom to let her know when he's up so she can at least watch that portion of every game," said Brianna's mom, Tammy Barker.

The reason Baez is the teen's favorite is simple.

"I just think he's hot," Brianna said.

It's a rare chance for her to be like other teenage girls. Her cancer was in remission but now it's back and she's waiting for a bone marrow donor.

"It's been a really rough year, so we want to do anything that makes her smile," mom Tammy said.

Although she normally watches the games from home, Brianna's family told her they were getting a special experience with the Cubs before Friday's game. She was surprised with a meet-and-greet with Javier Baez.

"We're just trying to do something that will help her have a great day and a once-in-a-lifetime memory," said Kevin Riley, director of brand partnerships for Advocate Healthcare.

"He told me to be strong," Brianna said of her chat with Baez.

For just one day, she was able to forget that she's waiting for the transplant that will save her life.