9-y-o cancer patient needs help

Savannah Bennett, a vibrant nine-year-old living in Hanover, urgently needs help for surgery and medication to treat her cancer diagnosis.

Diagnosed with stage three rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer affecting soft tissue, Savannah’s condition has centred on her left eye.

The cost of providing medication to young Savannah is exorbitant. Her mother said that the drugs used to treat her are not available in the island and have to be imported. They cost in the region of $600,000 per month. In addition, her hospital bill has already passed $700,000.

I am using every platform to reach out to those who will help my daughter,” Stacy Bennett said.

The mother recalls the day when her bubbly child was taken to the doctor due to the bulge under her eye.

“It was the school that called me, and they said Savannah is at the hospital. I was so worried, asking what is happening,” recalled Bennett, describing the initial shock of discovering Savannah’s eye bulging out.

“We noticed a little bulge and took her to Cornwall Regional Hospital, and from there they started to treat her.”

Doctors at Cornwall Regional referred Savannah to the Bustamante Hospital for Children and the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). Her mother, following the physician’s advice, took her to the UHWI, where she has been admitted since January 29.

Savannah is currently undergoing her second round of chemotherapy since April, but her family’s hope now rests on finding a hospital abroad willing to undertake treatment that could potentially save her eye.

“The doctors are saying the treatment they can offer will cause the eye to close down, and I don’t want that,” Bennett said.

“There is an opportunity to save the eye if she goes abroad, so I have been getting help from the Sanmerna Foundation to find a hospital to accept her.”

Stephen Josephs, projects manager at Sanmerna, confirmed the commitment to assist Savannah.

“We are currently on standby awaiting further medical advice from local doctors,” he stated. “We are prepared to facilitate international intervention if necessary.”

Despite the challenges, little Savannah remains resilient.

“She’s an active little girl and she’s still happy,” Bennett said.

But financially, the family has been faced with significant hurdles in securing the necessary medical care.

“I have been on social media trying to raise funds,” Bennett revealed. “There was a GoFundMe out there and they had to stop it. I tried more than one hospital. I tried St Jude’s. I tried Johns Hopkins and other hospitals ... I tried St Jude’s more than one time, and they did not take her.”

Despite setbacks, Bennett remains determined to find a solution for Savannah.

“I want what’s best for her because she’s still young and she has chances,” she said.

“Once there is a way to give her a chance I will take it, and I’m sure every parent who loves their children would understand.”

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Donations for Savannah Bennett may be made to the following bank account in the name of Thricia Bennett:

National Commercial Bank

St Ann’s Bay Branch

Account number: 54437888