Save my daughter’s life – father

Romaro Harrison is seeking the public’s assistance in raising funds to save his daughter’s life. Harrison’s one-year-old daughter, Kyrah, was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma cancer at 10 months old. Neuroblastoma or NB is a type of cancer that forms in certain types of nerve tissue. Though it most frequently starts in an adrenal gland, NB can also develop in the chest, neck, abdomen, or spine. Symptoms may include bone pain, a lump in the abdomen, neck, chest, or a painless bluish lump under the skin.

Harrison said he first noticed a lump in little Kyra’s abdomen in July, and took her to the health centre where a nurse further recommended an ultrasound.

“When we did the ultrasound, it said, ‘urgent surgical attention – possible neuroblastoma.’ We didn’t wait to bring it back to the clinic, we went to Bustamante Children’s Hospital instead. When we went there on the 11th of July, they admitted her and did the surgery to remove the mass on the 17th.”

Weeks after the surgery, however, the family was jolted with more devastating news. Three other masses began growing in Kyrah’s abdomen.

DOING OUR BEST

“It’s not easy, but we are just trying to do our best going forward. We feel a way, but you can’t sit down and leave it. She can’t fight on her own, so we just have to try whatever … we have to try every little thing,” said the distressed father.

His sister Tasheka echoed the sentiments. “I am still in disbelief that my niece has cancer. She is so young, the youngest in our family, and this is happening to her? The whole situation is so new to us, because we have never had to deal with any form of sickness in our family,”

Expressing optimism, however, she said, “I know that she will be healed. I am trusting God for a miracle.”

“While I am very hopeful, I am also human, so I cry at times. Every post I make, every time I share, the reality of it hits me and I say, ‘I can’t believe I am sharing this’. Never in a million years I thought I would have to share something like this about my niece,” she added.

“She is a fighter, but it is impossible for her to fight this monster by herself. That’s why we have created accounts and a GoFundMe so that others could help her fight. We encourage prayers, donations and shares. Whatever assistance can be rendered, we would appreciate, because, as a family, we cannot do it on our own,” she said.

Kyrah’s dad told The Gleaner that he has been in contact with doctors from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and was advised that his daughter’s treatment would cost approximately US$800,000. The family is seeking the public’s assistance to fund Kyrah’s treatment.

Donations can be made to the following GoFundMe and bank accounts: https://www.gofundme.com/f/baby-kyrah-will-fight-this/share?utm_source=w... NCB: 684442287 Scotia: 839029 Name: Kyrah Harrison Branch: Linstead