Doctors in Colombia confirmed Barbadian Noi Jemmott had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), the most common childhood cancer, and had commenced treatment.
Noi, 17, left Barbados last Saturday via air ambulance.
Her father Janson Jemmott told the Weekend Nation yesterday via telephone that his daughter started chemotherapy on Wednesday. At the time of the interview, she was undergoing a minor operation to put a stent in her chest.
“The veins in the arm, I think, are a little bit too small so they want to put it in the chest. That way the body will feel the chemo much better,” he explained.
Jemmott said he spoke to Noi prior to the surgery and she was “in good spirits”.
Her mother Cathy-Ann Allman also provided an update on her Instagram page earlier yesterday and thanked Barbadians for all of the support – both emotional and financial.
“She has been amazing through this process. As her father has said many times, she makes being her mother so easy,” she said, fighting back tears.
“Her strength and her tenacity really helped me to be strong. I really needed to come here and thank you all from the depths of my heart for being there for my daughter. I cannot express the level
of gratitude I have for every single person that has donated, every company that has donated, the outpouring of prayers and support.”
Treatment in Colombia is expensive. The family has launched a Go Fund Me and while donations have slowed, to date it has raised just over $132 000 out of $800 000.
“We are extremely grateful to the Bajan public and even the people overseas that have been giving us their support. It’s a true testament, in my mind, that there are still a lot of good people out there. People just want opportunity to do something that’s good or something that’s positive,” Jemmott said, as he reiterated they were thankful for every donation, no matter how big or small. (SAT)
