UPDATED: ‘She was just the perfect child’ - Fighter J’Quani loses battle with cancer

Amy Cassanova and her daughter, J’Quani Chung, had their eyes set on experiencing a ‘white Christmas’ this year for the very first time in their lives. They had planned that when they left India this month, where Chung underwent a bone marrow transplant, they would layover in Germany to admire the snowfall.

However, their plans were shattered in the worst possible way after J’Quani, 15, died of kidney failure on December 6. She had travelled to the south Asian country to be treated for leukemia.

J’Quani was diagnosed with leukemia on December 31, 2017, while a student of the Santa Cruz Primary and Junior High School. Her cancer was in remission for two years after chemotherapy, but in May 2020, the cancer reappeared.

Last year, Cassanova sought the assistance of the public to help with funding a well-needed bone marrow transplant, which could not be done in Jamaica.

A bone marrow transplant is used to treat patients who have acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. It replaces the unhealthy blood-forming cells with healthy ones.

J’Quani’s high school, Hampton; the Jamaican Government, along with other donors assisted in getting the teen to India, where the procedure was done at a cost of $12 million. Her 22-year-old brother, who donated bone marrow, as well as Cassanova, accompanied her on the trip.

“It was successful and she was feeling good. We were ready to come home,” Cassanova said of the procedure. But her tone changed, as the grieving mother explained how the moments in recovery took a turn for the worst. Her 15-year-old daughter began experiencing difficulty passing urine, and had to be re-admitted to the hospital for dialysis in November, some three months after the bone marrow transplant.

“She was having swelling in the kidneys and there was a blockage in her urethra, which keeps sending back the waste back to the kidneys, causing the kidneys to be swollen,” Cassanova said. She said that her daughter underwent dialysis to improve her kidney function.

The mother of two said that the doctors were monitoring J’Quani closely, in the hope that her condition would improve in order for her to be released for the holidays.

J’Quani, her mother said, was looking forward to Christmas. She had intended to bake a cake for her brother who donated bone marrow. His birthday is on Christmas Day.

However, their world imploded on December 6 when J’Quani passed.

A tearful Cassanova yesterday described her daughter as brave and courageous. She noted that J’Quani, from her hospital bed, still strived for excellence, ensuring that she completed assignments and final examinations.

“She was just the perfect child, and I don’t know why she had to suffer so much. Even through the suffering she was always positive for a good outcome. It’s just so sad how the chapter closes, and I was praying to take my baby home for Christmas.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story indicated that the family is appealing to the public for assistance to have J’Quani’s body flown home for her funeral. This is not the case. We regret the error and apologize for any embarrassment that may have been caused.