Help needed for baby with rare cancer
Despite having a medical aid plan, additional medical costs have been piling up. This has taken a serious toll on her family.
First-time parents, Bianca and Ronaldo Erasmus, were blessed with a beautiful little girl almost a year ago.
Tragedy struck when their baby was diagnosed with a rate type of cancer when she was eight-months-old.
“She was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in December 2020. She stopped moving her legs and advised us to go to the neurologist. The neuroblastoma started from the nerves in the chest and the tumour grew and attached to her spine. It damaged the nerves in her spine and they can’t grow back. The chance of her ever walking is very slim,” said her mother, Bianca.
Neuroblastoma is a cancer that develops from immature nerve cells found in several areas of the body.
“She was in hospital since 8 December last year and was set to start chemotherapy, but that morning she just stopped breathing. The doctors were able to resuscitate her and she was on a ventilator for about a week. She started chemo and then did another MRI and it was discovered that she has brain damage. The part of her brain that processes images are completely damaged and she is unable to see now. But we are hopeful that she can get her sight back. She has done four sessions of chemo already and thankfully the tumour shrank in size.”
Despite having a medical aid plan, additional medical costs have been piling up. This has taken a serious toll on her family.
“In the beginning, it was very difficult, but we are trying to process it. Every day is different. We have a Back a Buddy page and our goal is to raise R200 000 and we are doing a fundraiser. We have approached companies to sponsor a price that will be raffled off. We appeal to businesses to support us. We cannot be thankful enough for all the support we have received during this trying time so far. We will continue to spread her story and we are hoping he public would too. Every little bit helps. You might not be able to help financially, but sharing her story is more than enough for us. We are shattered, mentally and emotionally drained. Although we are broken, we have to be brave and strong for the sake of Liané. They say that God gives his hardest battles to his strongest fighters and that is exactly what she is. We have been asked numerous times, but how are you so strong, you are so young? Being strong is the only option you have. Not only for your family, but for your child.”
To assist the little girl use the following bank details, LC Rossouw, Capitec savings, account number: 1744604205, branch code: 470010.
ALSO READ: Little Miané needs assistance
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