Girl (4) loses battle against Cancer
Hundreds gathered to say their final goodbyes to a four-year-old angel who lost her cancer battle.
Four-year-old Alisa Verster was a normal little girl who used to run, play and laugh like any other little girl. But that all changed when she was diagnose with cancer two years ago.
At the end of November 2014, after nine days of various tests at Life Robinson Hospital, doctors discovered that little Alisa had fluid on her brain.
She was then transferred to Netcare Garden City Hospital where she had her first operation. A ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt was placed in her head to drain all the fluid from her brain.
Read more: [PHOTOS] Brave little cancer fighter with big smile
Not long after Alisa had her first brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) done where the doctors made another terrifying discovery; a tumor in the back of her head.
Once again she went in for an operation, this time a six-and-an-half hour operation to remove the tumor.
The second MRI followed shortly after in December 2014 which indicated that only half of the tumor was removed and she now had to undergo radiation treatment.
Her treatment programme kicked off in January 2015 where she had to undergo a total of 33 radiation treatment sessions.
In May that year, the third MRI indicated that the treatment was not successful.
Read more: Brave cancer fighter dies
By November Alisa started getting severe leg cramps and yet another MRI indicated that there was growth again.
The cancer then started spreading, this time to her spine.
In March this year, after the family’s medical aid has been depleted, Alisa was taken to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital where they were told that there was nothing further they could do for her but increase her medication for the pain.
Alisa was taken out of school and spent her last days in the care of her grandmother and mother.
Alisa sadly lost her battle on 19 March and was buried in a special ceremony on 24 March at the Suiderlig Church in Krugersdorp West.
Hundreds gathered to bid Alisa farewell, including representatives from Cansa, friends and family as well as representatives from Alisa’s preschool.
They said their final goodbyes by letting go of balloons which symbolised the letting go of little Alisa’s pain.
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