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15-year-old gets J$1.4 for brain tumour treatment

Published:Saturday | July 25, 2020 | 12:16 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
Kaylia Pinnock (centre), a student of Anchovy High School who is battling a brain tumour, holds her symbolic cheque for J$1.4 million, which was presented to her by past students of the school. Sharing in the moment are (from left) Ishba Higgins, Anchovy H
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Kaylia Pinnock (centre), a student of Anchovy High School who is battling a brain tumour, holds her symbolic cheque for J$1.4 million, which was presented to her by past students of the school. Sharing in the moment are (from left) Ishba Higgins, Anchovy High School’s dean of discipline; Velma Latchman, Kaylia’s mother; Renardo Douglas, director of the Anchovy High School Past Students’ Association; Albert Ferguson, president of the association; and Lavern Stewart, principal of the school.

WESTERN BUREAU:

Kaylia Pinnock, the 15-year-old Anchovy High School student who is battling a stage-two brain tumour, got some much-needed financial assistance yesterday when she was presented with a cheque for J$1.4 million by the school’s past students’ association.

The student, who is currently a patient at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, St James, expressed her gratitude in a few soft-spoken words after Albert Ferguson, the president of the past students’ association, presented her with the symbolic cheque.

“I feel good to get this donation from all of them,” an emotional Kaylia said.

Kaylia’s mother, Velma Latchman, expressed gratitude for the donation, which was raised through a GoFundMe campaign. The initiative started on May 29, 2020, and ended on Thursday.

“I want to say a big thank you to those who have participated in Kaylia’s life. I want to say a big thank you to those who did so,” said Latchman, who is now looking forward to her daughter’s medical care.

In his remarks, Ferguson said that Kaylia’s medical condition came to his attention through the school’s outreach efforts. The student was staying at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We became aware of Kaylia’s condition when the school’s administration was reaching out to their students during the height of COVID-19 to ensure that they were getting their schoolwork. It came out that she was not able to attend school for some time, since January, because of her medical condition,” said Ferguson.

“This money will be managed by the past students’ association, and we will cover the medical expenses for Kaylia on a monthly basis, among other things.”

At present, the school is making contact with the Cuban embassy to arrange for Kaylia’s medical treatment in that country. Interestingly, she is enrolled at the school’s Fidel Castro Campus, which was named in honour of former Cuban President Fidel Castro.

Persons who are interested in providing additional assistance for Kaylia Pinnock may contact her mother, Velma Latchman, at 876-821-4543.