Fatima (8) cannot eat on her own or walk or talk after operation to remove tumour

Fatima Mdlala is only eight years old and is confined to bed in the two bedroom place her parents rent in Thistle Grove.

She used to go to Thistle Grove Combined School and ran around, played with her friends, walked and talked and led a normal life.

Fatima was diagnosed with Choroid Plexus Corcinoma, a tumour that grows slowly in the brain or spinal cord and doctors said it is a type of brain cancer.

Her mother, Ms Rasheeda Mdala, noticed something was wrong when Fatima began vomiting in January last year.

She first took her to the clinic in Thistle Grove and then to Evander Hospital.

“We received poor service at Evander Hospital and I did not want to take my child back there,but took her to a private hospital in Johannesburg where I paid cash for the consultation,” said Ms Mdlala.

Doctors said a mass was growing in her brain.

Ms Mdlala did not have the money for further treatment at the private hospital and took her daughter to Thembisa Hospital from where Fatima was transferred to the Johannesburg General Hospital.

Doctors removed the top part of the mass, but could not remove the rest as it grew like a mushroom and it was too dangerous to remove everything as the risk of the brain being damaged was too big.

After the first operation, Fatima could still walk, talk, laugh and eat like a normal child.

She underwent a second operation in July this year during which doctors removed more of the mass because it was growing again.

They also put a shunt in to drain the water from her brain and in October Fatima underwent another operation when doctors put a peg in her stomach through which she could be fed.

At this stage she could not walk, talk or eat on her own and a visible mass was growing at the back of her head.

“We returned to the hospital to talk to the doctors and get answers, but they ran away and refused to talk to us,” said Ms Mdlala.

They wanted to take Fatima to a private hospital for the operations, but it would have cost them R150 000.

The family could not raise the money and was forced to take her to a state hospital.

Doctors at the Johannesburg General Hospital sent Fatima home and said she will die soon and there was nothing they could do for her.

Her family wants a second opinion from a private doctor, but they need money.

They do not have a medical aid.

Fatima’s father, Mr Shafeer Mdlala, does peace jobs to earn a living.

Fatima now has to wear diapers permanently and can only eat certain foods that are soft.

She also needs baby cream.

If you want to support the family, contact Mr Mdlala at 074 521 9470.