Six-year-old Layla to receive MRI
Young Layla O’ Neill’s MRI has been confirmed and her parents are continuing their fight to raise money for her medical journey with fundraisers coming up later in the year.
Lonehill resident Layla O’Neill’s MRI has been scheduled for 12 April and her parents are in need of financial assistance.
The six-year-old was diagnosed three years ago with ependymoma, a cancerous tumour, and is in need of medical care.
“It will take about two weeks after the MRI has been done before we have the final results, information and the doctor’s decisions on Layla’s progress. Also taking into consideration the new seedlings along the brain stem and the growth of the previous ones [will determine] how any sort of treatment will be handled,” O’ Neill’s mother Sharyn said.
Layla has needed to travel to India for medical treatment since August last year and she will need to undergo a PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan, chemotherapy, radiation and CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery, a non-invasive alternative to surgery for the treatment of cancerous and non-cancerous tumours.
“In the meantime, we have set aside the money for India as we do not want to touch it. Layla’s funds are running very low, her monthly expenses come to roughly R58 700 per month and R704 400 per year, and things are going up and so are the doctors’ rates,” Sharyn said.
The next fundraisers to help raise funds for the six-year-old include the following:
- The Ependymoma Day Butterfly Release on 7 May
- The Coverall Insurance Golf day for Ependy Angels on 20 July
- Momentum 947 Cycle Challenge on 20 November.
“We thank everyone for their generosity and support throughout the years and your donations and gifts have been really appreciated. Should you find it in your budget to help us fund Layla until we raise more money, visit our website,” she expressed.
“One can only hope for positive results and that we can finally get rid of these nasty tumours that Layla has.”
Details: 079 196 8052; sharyn.oneill@ependyangels.co.za
