When her little girl was diagnosed with cancer in February, Crystal Geen was so distressed she kept the news from the world at large.
However, now that her four-year-old is on the mend she is heartened to see her daughter as the national poster child of CHOC’s Childhood Cancer Awareness month.
Clutching a soft toy she has named Slap Tiger and smiling at the camera, little Tyrell’s photograph shines out of posters at clinics and hospitals nationwide and is also being used on CHOC’s letterheads this month.
The little girl, who loves nothing more than to play with her cousins in her Parkside home, has already undergone radiation treatment and is halfway through a year-long chemotherapy course.
Geen, 22, of Parkside, said her world was turned upside down when Tyrell was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma or soft tissue cancer in February.
“I was devastated and I didn’t want to put pictures of her on Facebook. I didn’t want people to pity me and I wanted to be strong, but now I don’t feel like that anymore,” said Geen, who completed nursing training shortly before the disturbing diagnosis.
“Now that she is on the posters I feel there will be more prayers for my child.”
The family’s life changed after what looked like a pimple appeared in Tyrell’s nostril. “When it got bigger I took her to hospital and they did a biopsy on the cyst.
“A week later I was told to come to the hospital urgently and I just started crying because I knew urgently means trouble,” said Geen while holding her little girl lovingly on her lap.
“The specialist said it was cancer and that treatment would start immediately.”
Geen was buoyed by the fact that following the excision of the cyst, a CT scan showed that Tyrell’s cancer had been removed, but a gruelling course of radiation and chemotherapy followed to decrease the chances of it returning.
“Her radiation ended in May and we are about to go into week 27 of the chemo.
“At first she lost her appetite and went from 20kg to 13.5kg, but now she has picked up some of it.
“Chemo has treated her well. Her doctors at the paediatric oncology ward have treated her well and CHOC has treated her well.”
Like for many fighting cancer, hair loss is an upsetting outward sign of their battle.
“I cried when her hair fell out on her pillow, because the reality hit me that it’s cancer. Eventually she told me to cut it because it was itchy.
“Some children called her a ‘bleskop’ which affected me more than her.”
CHOC Eastern Cape regional manager Debbie Kleinenberg said she had taken the photograph of Tyrell which was initially used in the childhood cancer foundation’s newsletter.
“CHOC national decided to use it for September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness month and Tyrell’s mom was delighted,” said Kleinenberg. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
Brave Tyrell shines bright for childhood cancer month
However, now that her four-year-old is on the mend she is heartened to see her daughter as the national poster child of CHOC’s Childhood Cancer Awareness month.
Clutching a soft toy she has named Slap Tiger and smiling at the camera, little Tyrell’s photograph shines out of posters at clinics and hospitals nationwide and is also being used on CHOC’s letterheads this month.
The little girl, who loves nothing more than to play with her cousins in her Parkside home, has already undergone radiation treatment and is halfway through a year-long chemotherapy course.
Geen, 22, of Parkside, said her world was turned upside down when Tyrell was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma or soft tissue cancer in February.
“I was devastated and I didn’t want to put pictures of her on Facebook. I didn’t want people to pity me and I wanted to be strong, but now I don’t feel like that anymore,” said Geen, who completed nursing training shortly before the disturbing diagnosis.
“Now that she is on the posters I feel there will be more prayers for my child.”
The family’s life changed after what looked like a pimple appeared in Tyrell’s nostril. “When it got bigger I took her to hospital and they did a biopsy on the cyst.
“A week later I was told to come to the hospital urgently and I just started crying because I knew urgently means trouble,” said Geen while holding her little girl lovingly on her lap.
“The specialist said it was cancer and that treatment would start immediately.”
Geen was buoyed by the fact that following the excision of the cyst, a CT scan showed that Tyrell’s cancer had been removed, but a gruelling course of radiation and chemotherapy followed to decrease the chances of it returning.
“Her radiation ended in May and we are about to go into week 27 of the chemo.
“At first she lost her appetite and went from 20kg to 13.5kg, but now she has picked up some of it.
“Chemo has treated her well. Her doctors at the paediatric oncology ward have treated her well and CHOC has treated her well.”
Like for many fighting cancer, hair loss is an upsetting outward sign of their battle.
“I cried when her hair fell out on her pillow, because the reality hit me that it’s cancer. Eventually she told me to cut it because it was itchy.
“Some children called her a ‘bleskop’ which affected me more than her.”
CHOC Eastern Cape regional manager Debbie Kleinenberg said she had taken the photograph of Tyrell which was initially used in the childhood cancer foundation’s newsletter.
“CHOC national decided to use it for September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness month and Tyrell’s mom was delighted,” said Kleinenberg. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
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