Seven-year-old Mayeso* lives in Malawi with his family. He was diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma when he was 4.
Found out how supporters like yourself helped Mayeso and his family receive life-changing cancer care and treatment.
Mayeso* fell sick when he was four years old. His mother noticed a swelling in his left cheek and took him to the hospital.
Read Tamara’s* story about her son’s diagnosis here:
“I was at my maternal home assisting my mother. We were harvesting rice in Zomba. As soon as I noted the abnormalities, I went to the nearest health centre. They gave him eye drops because the clinicians suspected eye infection. Mayeso had watery eyes from the eye drops and my mother advised that I return home and do a proper check-up at Queens Central Hospital. There, the doctors did a check-up on him and told me that they found a mass in the left side of his mouth that they suspected to be cancer. They advised that I return on Monday for a proper examination. On Monday at the Oncology Ward, they told me that the disease has progressed to Level 3. He not only had a swelling in the face but an abscess in his stomach.
I was sad. My whole life I had the notion that once someone has cancer they would die. However, a member of staff at the oncology ward would comfort me saying that since my son is young, he has a better chance of surviving. With the medication, he started improving. After 2 months, he was discharged. We would go for scheduled chemotherapy initially and later we returned for regular reviews.
After a year, my son was declared healed. It was a joy to me, all my fears were conquered. My son was young during the process but he still has some memories. During his play, he would pretend to be a nurse inserting cannulas on the wrist of his friends.
I was relieved that the nightmare was over. However, as a parent I still have fears whenever he is sick. I fear that the sickness has returned and this tortures me emotionally.
My family depends on small business for our livelihoods. I used to operate a hairdressing saloon alongside the street of Chilobwe and my husband used to repair cellphones. With the sickness of our son, I closed my shop and my husband worked on and off. After two months of admission, our business collapsed. We had to start back at square one sourcing capital as well as customers. It took a while to bounce back financially. Now, both my husband and I are working again.
While at the hospital, World Child Cancer was providing us with food supplements and the medication was free of charge. We did not pay for any drugs or any consultation with the doctor. During weekends, all the guardians in the ward prepared meals that the hospital provided with support from World Child Cancer.”
We are thankful for the support from the staff as well as the drugs. The play area and screen for watching cartoons at the ward provided comfort to my little one, so he would not miss home too much.
Tamara, Mayeso's mother
Mayeso is now 7 years old and is living a happy, cancer-free life, just as a child should. With your support, we are helping to ensure a better future for children just like Mayeso.
I am in standard 3 at Chimwankhunda Primary School. I love watching cartoons and driving my toy cars. I want to be a doctor in the future
Mayeso
*Names changed to protect identities
Hearing the news that your child has cancer is devastating. With your help, World Child Cancer is able to provide financial and emotional support to children and their families at diagnosis and beyond, to limit the damage cancer causes.
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