After a year of trials, pain and almost dying, nine-year-old Keana Banfield has been reunited with family and friends in Barbados.
A strong faith in God and overwhelming support both here and overseas has helped the little fighter to keep strong and survive her harrowing medical ordeal.
Banfield, a former student of Christ Church Girls’ School, made headlines last year when she was suddenly struck down with a mysterious disease which quickly became life threatening. She was airlifted to Miami where doctors worked to save her life with multiple surgeries.
The brave little girl is back in Barbados for a week, staying in Welches Terrace, St Thomas, and yesterday visited her old school for a special thanksgiving ceremony under the theme Oh Lord We Give You Thanks.
Keana’s mother, Kysha Banfield-Best, said it was her daughter’s faith which helped her get through even when she herself was losing hope.
She told me to be here for her brother and sister if she didn’t make it and as a mother, that almost killed me,” she said. “She held my hand when I was crying and asked me why I was crying when God had things under control. She has never asked ‘why me?’”
Afterwards, Keana, who wears a leg brace, said she “felt happy” to be mobile again and to be with her entire family and friends. She also reaffirmed her faith in God.
“The most important thing is to pray to God. If you do, eventually He will give you what you ask, but you have to have courage and strength. Believe and trust in God and let Him guide you,” she said.
Banfield-Best said it all started with a rash which graduated to pneumonia and staph infections. Staph infections are caused by staphylococcus bacteria, a type of germ commonly found on the skin or in the nose even healthy individuals.
From there, Keana and her family had to live through the horror of toxic shock syndrome, organ failure, cardiomyopathy, osteoporosis and osteomyelitis.
Today, Keana has no hip bone or femur on her right side as both were removed after they became infected.
?Doctors have temporarily replaced them with surgical cement and the bone is currently growing back so Keana has to be extra careful to avoid any falls.
The mother said Keana herself had made the decision to go through the surgeries rather than lose her leg.
Banfield-Best said there were still more procedures to be done and Keana had to return to Miami to continue school at River Hall Elementary where she could receive both treatment and education.
She said they had to wait and see what the future held but she was thankful for the outpouring of love and for all the support.
To this day, she said no one knows what happened to Keana and whether it will happen again.
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?• carlosatwell@nationnews.com