Nine-year-old Zelnay Liebenberg, a learner at Laerskool Dalview, is bravely facing an intense medical journey after being diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL).

Described as loving and caring with a precious personality, Zelynay’s condition requires urgent and costly treatment.

Zelnay started feeling ill at the end of March last year, and her parents, Zanelle (31) and Henry Liebenberg (34), quickly realised something was wrong and took her to the doctor.

She lives with her parents and her younger brother, Lihan (7).

The doctor told her parents that Zelnay was showing signs of iron deficiency and inflammatory arthritis, and she was placed on pain medication for a time, but she continued to complain about extreme pain in her legs and stomach.

Further tests were conducted in April, and Zelnay was admitted to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, where she underwent a lumbar puncture and bone marrow test, which revealed the diagnosis.

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She recently experienced a setback, and to help provide the treatment she desperately needs, including immunotherapy and a stem cell transplant, her family is hosting a fundraising walkathon at Laerskool Dalview on April 11.

The event starts at 09:00, and entry for the walk is R50 per lap. General entry is R30, with children under the age of six admitted for free.

Any additional donations are also welcome. Only cash and SnapScan will be available, and no card payments will be accepted.

There will be jumping castles, boerewors rolls on sale, and the tuck shop will be open, as well as a Coffee Cartel stall.

DKMS, an NPO dedicated to fighting blood cancer and blood disorders, will also be there on the day for people to register as stem cell donors and get tested to see if they are a match for Zelnay.

If you can’t make it on the day but still want to contribute to Zelnay’s R3m treatment costs, contact Zanelle on 063 695 0652 or make a donation via BackaBuddy at https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/help-zelnay-fight-leukaemia

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