The family of a 10-year-old Linden girl has turned to the public for financial assistance to afford her the opportunity to undergo a lifesaving bone marrow transplant at the Artemis Health Institute in India.
Shakira Peters was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia in 2010 and since then she has had to be in the hospital every two months for blood transfusions, according to her mother, Nicola Peters.
At age six, she suffered two strokes and has been wheelchair bound since. She also has not been able to attend school due to her condition.
Peters said that Shakira’s eldest sister has been identified as the donor and the trip would require $10 million to travel to India to have the surgery done. In addition, they would have to spend 6 to 8 weeks in India.
To date, the family has raised $4 million, inclusive of $1 million from the Public Health Ministry. Additionally, Travel Span has donated three airline tickets for them to fly to New York.
However, they would be required to pay US$3,100 each for tickets to India.
Meanwhile, yesterday Tesouro Resources Limited Office Manager Jaswick Williams on behalf of the company made a donation of $500,000 to the family.
Persons willing to make donations can do so by making deposits into Republic Bank account #7660129 or can contact Nicola Peters on telephone numbers 684-7683 or 444-8420.
