Update to below:
Below is the original overview of our story, to each and everyone who has come to our aid thus far, from the bottom of our hearts we thank you and God bless. Since we started this journey (surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation) we have been faced with medicals bills of more than R1 000 000 with an oncology benefit that consists of R200 000 per annum and is already depleted. We now face more treatments and additional medical costs which is why a target has now been set, in an effort to raise funds for much needed treatment and medication as a matter of urgency. Once again we are thankful for all your support and prayer. Thank you.
Our journey:
We are Guido and Laylaa De Villiers and this is our only child Tayannah Lee De Villiers, we are based in Cape Town, South Africa. Last year this time our household was filled with excitement, a 14 year old Tayannah was ecstatic to be travelling abroad for the first time as part of a school hockey tournament to Europe. She spent her 15th birthday on 19 March 2016 in Amsterdam and we thought wow, “How would we top that for her “Sweet Sixteen?”. We never thought we would be facing this mountain a year later.
Tayannah De Villiers can only be described as a force to be reckoned with, she is a fearless daredevil filled with energy and driven by a zest for life. She is a budding artist, a fitness fanatic and a world class couch potato with a love for music and movies. Her bravery through this journey has shocked us all but she is still just a teenage girl and her parents only baby.
In July of 2016, Tayannah was diagnosed with Blue Cell: Ewing Sarcoma, i.e. stage 4 Bone Cancer which had spread to both lungs. We were told this is not a genetic form of cancer and only affected 1% of the human population. She has since received ongoing chemotherapy and radiation, these are but the main costly medical elements in an ongoing series of expensive medical equipment requirements, procedures and treatments. She had no choice but to leave school, she had to give up her passion of playing hockey and she lost the use of her right leg.
Towards the end of 2016 it looked like we were finally “kicking cancers ass” and she was walking again. In February 2017 she suffered a setback and was admitted to hospital with lung complications, she underwent emergency surgery and a number of other painful procedures, her courage and faith never wavering and still trying to keep smiling. The battle we face now is a huge tumor in her diaphragm, 21cm X 16cm in size, emergency radiation and chemotherapy has started. This monster is causing unimaginable pain and we need to get it out.
With the deterioration of her condition and needing round the clock medical care, as her parents we cannot leave her side. Words cannot explain how helpless you feel watching your child suffer, as her mother I have made it my mission to rise up in faith every morning and keep my baby positive and fighting. To do so I have had to take a long term sabbatical from work which adds an additional layer of financial stress to our situation but there is no place a parent would rather be than by their child’s side.
As difficult as it is for us to accept assistance there comes a time where it’s no longer about us it’s about Tayannah and we would move heaven and earth to restore her health. It is for this reason we started this page, we require your assistance to ensure she continues to get the best possible care. To those who are in a position to come to our aid, we thank you and God bless. To everyone reading this page whether you are in a position to assist us or not we ask that you pray for a miracle for our baby girl, thank you.
Kind regards
The De Villiers Family