18-y-o needs $31 million to help fight bone cancer

Eighteen-year-old Teairra Chambers hobbled into the North Street, Kingston, office of this newspaper yesterday.

The Mona High School student had just made a trip to the United States Embassy in Kingston where the consular officers denied her a visa to travel overseas for medical treatment.

"When they denied the visa I was just like, okay, God is gonna work it out," Chambers told THE STAR.

The teen's strong faith has been key to dealing with the massive health challenge she has had to deal with since being diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer two years ago. Prior to getting the dreaded osteosarcoma diagnosis, Chambers recalls feeling a small, painless lump in her right leg. The cancer was only discovered during a routine visit to the doctor.

"My belly was hurting me, so I went to the doctor for that and I just showed the nurse. I remember a lady said, 'A really that yuh come doctor fah, fi bellyache and fi yuh foot? And another nurse turn to my mommy and seh, 'register yuh child'. And it went from there."

"To this day, I'm in shock, I still can't believe this happening to me," Chambers told THE STAR unable to hold back her tears.

Now, Chambers has a large swelling on her leg and relies on crutches to get around.

For Chambers' mother, Vonila Williams, this has also been a difficult experience.

"Sometimes I don't sleep, I cry a lot when I see her like this, it pain mi heart to see her like this," Williams said.

The American Cancer Society said that because osteosarcoma is rare, only doctors in major cancer centres have a lot of experience treating these cancers. Chambers did five rounds of chemotherpy at the Kingston Public Hospital, but the treatment did not kill the cancer cells. She was subsequently referred to the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, New York, one of the hospitals that performs tumour prosthesis procedures, which is needed to help her beat the illness. The procedure requires the affected portion of the bone being removed and replaced with metal. The procedure, which is not done in Jamaica, has a US$200,000 (approximately J$31 million) price tag.

Without the surgery, only amputation can be done locally to save Chambers' life. However, she is not willing to consider cutting off her leg.

"In the future, I want to become a midwife, I want to own my own salon, I want to be able to go out and minister the gospel to people, I want to be able to preach, and you know to do God's work you have to be active," Chambers said, adding that she believes amputating her leg will hinder future plans.

"I want to save my leg and I want to be able to walk and move around. I love to comb hair, not saying it can't be done without my leg, but if I have a chance to save my leg I want to try," Chambers said.

Chambers and Williams applied for a US visa to travel to the healthcare facility.

"The hospital over there said they don't give visa letters, so we have to seek the [visitor's] visa first, and then we can go over there," Williams told THE STAR.

Chambers has chosen to stay positive despite the visa denial.

"These type of cancer it spread rapidly, fast, fast, fast but it hasn't moved. I'm still in shock that it hasn't spread," Chambers said, adding that this was confirmed last Monday after she did three X-rays.

Chambers is using her condition as a motivator and is eagerly anticipating the day it becomes her testimony.

"I strongly believe that this is a test to see if I'm going to keep my faith in God. He didn't brought me this far to leave me alone in the fire," Chambers said.

With hardly the first cent of the $31 million needed for her treatment, Chambers has turned to the public for help.

"To anybody who help, I pray that God double it for yuh, it would mean a lot to me, you would be saving my life and I pray that God bless you all for it," Chambers said.

Persons willing assist Teairra Chambers can deposit funds to a bank account in the name of her sister, Chayanne Watson.

Scotiabank

Branch/Transit:50575

Account Type: Savings

Account Number: 50575 000977462