THE SEVEN-year-old Sri Lankan girl who had surgery to remove a brain tumour in Israel last year is making a “positive recovery”.
Jasmitha Maharajasingh, who has been at the Sheba Medical Centre’s Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital at Tel Hashomer since October, is said to be doing very well.
Having just completed six weeks of intense radiotherapy on January 12, Jasmitha is waiting to start a four-month course of aggressive chemotherapy. She can now walk unaided and is said to be in high spirits.
“She is improving every day. The doctors are amazed she hasn’t had infections or side effects. She has lost her hair and some weight but she’s got a big smile on her face…
She’s a real fighter and very determined and very positive. She never complains.
She’s a very special little girl. They call her the angel from Cyprus,” Pauline Redfern said.
The Briton contacted the Cyprus Mail yesterday after her recent return from Israel, where she had chosen to spend Christmas and New Year with Jasmitha and her mother.
The support worker said she had flown over with a suitcase full of toys, cards, well wishes and money. The latter was used to set up a bank account for the mother and daughter.
“There was about £500 which we deposited in an account to be used for any kind of emergency, for food, to help with the accommodation [Jasmitha and her mother, Sathiya are staying in a hostel at the medical centre], for necessary things. Generally it’s to help with anything they might need,” Redfern said.
“When I arrived she was jumping up and down on the bed in excitement. On Christmas day she only had time to open one present before going to the hospital for treatment and she opened the rest when she came home. She kept saying, ‘thank you Santa’,” she added.
Redfern said the doctors were very pleased with Jasmitha’s recovery so far.
“Her prognosis looks good. They are still waiting to see how the treatment is going, but they do feel very positive,” she said.
Although Jasmitha had hoped to be home in time for her eighth birthday in May, it looks unlikely.
“They still have to run a number of tests and then have to start the chemotherapy. For the radiotherapy, which she had five times a week, she was an outpatient. For the chemotherapy however, she’ll have to remain in hospital for the five days. Because it’s for four months I don’t think she’ll be home for her birthday.”
Displaying remarkable inner strength, Jasmitha has accepted her battle with cancer.
“She talks about it [her treatment] like it’s an everyday occurrence. She accepts everything. The whole process could have taken up to four or five hours and she never complained. [Instead] she always wants to tell you things and is interested in everything. She’s never doom and gloom. Instead she’s full of laughter and life,” she said.
So impressed was the radiologist with how good Jasmitha had been that the seven-year-old was given a certificate and a gift at the end of the six-week treatment.
During the 12 days Redfern spent with the family, they went on several outings to Jersualem, Jaffa and Tel Aviv.
“She was so excited [on the first outing to Jerusalem] because it was the first time off site since October… We visited all the religious sites that we could and went through the walled city, with her in her wheelchair. Jasmitha also bought a few keepsakes.”
The outing ended with a celebratory pizza. One evening, the seven-year-old was treated to a ‘Hebrew meze’ and chocolate ice-cream, and another time to a trip to the cinema with other children from the hospital.
On Redfern’s last night, they had McDonalds and reminisced that the last time they’d been there and Jasmitha had ordered chicken nuggets had been the night before her surgery.
Redfern said: “She has come through those first difficult days and is such a brave little girl. She’s strong and cheerful and worth every single penny [of the money raised to send her to Israel]… She’s amazing. She really is. There is something very special about her. She’s touched the hearts of many people. Her smile just makes your day.”
The Briton added that Sathiya had expressed a wish to thank everyone for their support.
Her carefully composed note read: “Dear friends, we send our love and thanks to you all for the beautiful toys, cards, gifts, money and love and good wishes that you sent.
We wish you a healthy and happy New Year with love from Jasmitha and Sathiya.”
Kathleen Houliotis, Jasmitha’s class teacher at the International School of Paphos, where the seven-year-old went to school, said there was still several thousand pounds left over from the money raised.
“At the moment, there is around £6,000 to £7,000 left. Hopefully, we’ll have enough to get her through her treatment. I think we probably will. If not, we’ll ask everyone for more help,” she said.
Following Jasmitha’s diagnosis last year, a fundraising campaign was set up to raise the cost of her medical bills. Her mother, a Sri Lankan housemaid, would have been unable to foot the bills as all her wages went on paying for her daughter to attend the private Paphos school.
Houliotis said just over £90,000 had been raised thanks to everyone’s efforts.
“It’s been super and we need to say thanks to everyone on the island who contributed.
Whether it was a pound they gave or more. It was really appreciated,” she said.
The primary school teacher, who speaks to Jasmitha regularly, added: “She’s in good spirits. She never complains that wee girl you know – about anything, bless her.”
