Cancer patient Shaniece Nanhoe succumbed yesterday, a day after her 16th birthday.
Nanhoe’s mother, Esherdai Jailall, told Stabroek News that her daughter died at about 6 am yesterday.
The woman said she did not expect her daughter’s passing so soon.
When this newspaper reached out to Jailall on Monday, she said that she had big plans for her daughter’s birthday. She announced that she would be sharing out party bags to children and they had a cake made which she was excited to present to Shaniece. In addition, the teen was excited for the day, as always, her mother said.
Jailall said that the girl kept asking whether persons had started sending birthday wishes and that she read them to her.
Just days before her birthday, the teen asked to go outside for fresh air.
Jailall said that they used the wheelchair they had gotten to take the teen outside. In a photo seen by the newspaper, Nanhoe appeared to be happy.
The teen was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a rare and aggressive type of cancer. A tumour had taken over the teen’s face.
Her mother previously told this newspaper that when she first noticed the symptoms, they thought it was just a cold. But after seeking professional advice the family became aware of Shaniece’s condition.
She had been diagnosed since 2019 and her condition worsened very quickly.
Shaniece had undergone over a dozen cycles of chemotherapy but her condition did not get better following the treatments. Prior to her death, she was using daily morphine injections.
Her family had been presented with multiple expenses since Shaniece became ill and appealed for assistance in paying off their debts for the girl’s treatments. They will still need that assistance to complete outstanding payments.
