Esherdai Jailall, the mother of cancer patient Shaniece Nanhoe, yesterday said that the outpouring of support from persons who learnt of her daughter’s condition has been comforting.
Jailall said that she has been contacted by persons who have made promises of aiding her family, all of which she is both grateful for and comforted by. She said that at this time, she understands that persons are trying their best to show support, which she needs more than ever.
A year ago, at age 14, Nanhoe was diagnosed with a facial tumour, which has since been confirmed as rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a rare and aggressive type of cancer.
According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, RMS forms in soft tissue, specifically skeletal muscle tissue or sometimes hollow organs such as the bladder or uterus, and can occur at any age, although it most often affects children. “The outlook (prognosis) and treatment decisions depend on the type of rhabdomyosarcoma, where it starts, tumor size and whether the cancer has spread. Treatment is usually with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy,” it explains, while adding that major advancements in the treatment of RMS have significantly improved outcomes. However, it adds that after completion of treatment, people need lifelong monitoring for potential late effects of intense chemotherapy and radiation.
Her mother said Nanhoe is a stage three cancer patient.
According to Jailall, the first signs of the condition were evident in one of the girl’s eyes. The family didn’t think much of it and assumed that it was due a cold. Unfortunately, very soon after, the left side of the teen’s jaw became swollen.
After professional advice was sought, the teen was given antibiotics for infections but no improvements were seen. A CT scan was then performed and the tumour was revealed. She has undergone 17 to 18 cycles of chemotherapy since being diagnosed but the tumour has grown rapidly. The doctors have advised the mother that even a bit more chemotherapy could drain the teen and rather than becoming better she would lose her life.
Giving a breakdown of how her daughter’s condition has worsened and the expenditures that followed, Jailall said that after her daughter became diagnosed, she spent a lot of money seeking treatment. This was followed by many fundraisers and donations by persons seeking to aid the family. But as they continued to try different treatments, including chemotherapy, Nanhoe’s condition has only seemed to worsen.
The mother of three said that her family has spent a lot on her daughter and that doesn’t include the transportation to get her daughter treatment. Additionally, the family has been aided but such a condition is costly and at this time her family only wants to be able to pay off their debt for Nanhoe’s treatments and any more than might come. She said that her family has been calling on persons to help her since the start and that they have received aid in both finances and prayers, which she is thankful for.
She further added that in October a donation of USD $100 was made to the family for the teen to spend Christmas. The woman told this newspaper that her daughter became very sick on Christmas Day and that she took her to a hospital where the doctor gave her some morphine. She explained that just that set cost her $75,000.
Worried over her daughter’s deteriorating condition, she asked the doctor whether she should get a nurse to look after her at home as she believes that her daughter is in a state that she needs all the care she can get. She said that the doctor told her that live-in nurses are very costly. Given her current financial state, she has put that idea on the back burner, she said.
Persons wanting to contact the family can call 592-692-4045.
