Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
A 16-YEAR-OLD boy is desperately seeking financial support to undergo vital treatment for blood cancer.
The patient, Tonderai Mauchaza, from Ringai Village in Marange, has been battling the debilitating disease since he was a toddler, resulting in painful wounds on his face.
Tonderai’s condition forced him to abandon his education while doing Grade Four.
Tonderai’s father passed away when he was just three-years-old, and his mother relocated to South Africa.
Currently, Tonderai stays with his 18-year-old sister, Talent, and their elderly maternal grandmother.
Urgent medical intervention from an oncologist is required to alleviate Tonderai’s suffering and improve his quality of life.
Talent broke down several times while recounting the pain her brother endures, her struggles in caring for him and their grandmother, and her desperation for financial assistance.
“We can’t even afford to consult an oncologist to determine the best course of treatment. My brother urgently needs financial assistance to receive treatment from an oncologist. He fell ill at one-year-and-eight months, and our father passed away when he was three. Our mother left for South Africa and has only returned once,” she said, adding that Tonderai’s cancer has left him barely able to speak.
“Tonderai was diagnosed with blood cancer at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital. We require funds for consultations and treatment. He only attended school up to Grade Four, before dropping out due to the wounds on his face. The cancer has also affected Tonderai’s eyes and voice. He can barely speak above a whisper. I care for him and our grandmother, relying on selling vegetables and tomatoes along Marange Highway. However, the income is insufficient to cover our basic needs and Tonderai’s medical expenses,” she said.
Talent, a dressmaker, was forced to quit her job in Marondera to take care of her brother.
“I would be grateful for a donation of a sewing machine, enabling me to continue dressmaking and raise funds for Tonderai’s treatment. Those willing to assist can contact me on 0781484509, which is also available on Ecocash,” said a distraught Talent.
Blood cancer, also known as hematologic cancer, is a type of ailment that affects the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system.
It occurs when abnormal cells in the blood or bone marrow grow and multiply uncontrollably, disrupting normal blood cell production.
There are three main types of blood cancer – namely leukemia – which is cancer of the blood and bone marrow, characterized by the production of abnormal white blood cells; (lymphoma) – cancer of the lymphatic system, which includes the lymph nodes, spleen, and other lymphoid tissues as well as (myeloma) – which is cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow.
Common symptoms of blood cancer include – fatigue and weakness, weight loss, pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, frequent infections, swollen lymph nodes or spleen, and bone pain or fractures.
Treatment for blood cancer depends on the type and stage of the disease, as well as the patient’s overall health.
Treatment options for Tonderai include chemotherapy (use of drugs to kill cancer cells); radiation therapy (high-energy rays to kill cancer cells); targeted therapy (drugs to target specific cancer cells) and surgery (removal of affected lymph nodes or spleen), among others.
