Communities throughout Ireland have united to rally behind a ‘funny, smart and vivacious’ schoolgirl from County Kildare who is fighting a rare and aggressive type of cancer.
Last year, 11-yr-old Jessica ‘Jaye’ Gibson from Naas received a diagnosis of Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, a scarce soft tissue cancer that mainly strikes children and teenagers, reports The Mirror.
Initial worries surfaced last August when Jaye started suffering from headaches along with a swollen tongue.
Her parents, Clara and Brian, took the young girl to hospital for examinations, where doctors informed her she had a benign tumour on the cranial nerves located at the base of her brain, reports The Mirror.
Because of where the tumour was positioned, they explained that it could not be biopsied.
Clara and Brian grew increasingly anxious as Jaye’s symptoms worsened during the following three weeks while further specialised tests were underway, reports The Mirror.
After they raised their concerns with doctors at Crumlin Hospital, a follow-up MRI was arranged, revealing that the tumour had grown to twice its original size, reports The Mirror.
With the significant increase in size, surgeons were finally able to perform a biopsy on the tumour.
Sadly, the results confirmed Jaye’s diagnosis as Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, and due to its tricky location plus the serious risks involved, surgery is not possible, reports The Mirror.
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Clara and Brian’s relatives and friends have joined forces to launch a GoFundMe page, aiming to collect funds to cover the courageous schoolgirl’s medical treatment, ongoing care, and everyday living costs, reports The Mirror.
A message posted by the fundraiser’s organisers on the GoFundMe page states: “Brian and Clara Gibson’s, beautiful daughter Jaye (Jessica), a funny smart and vivacious 11 year old who has been stopped in her tracks in the last few weeks following a devastating cancer diagnosis. Jaye loves playing with her friends in Rathmore National School, Naas Serpents Basketball Club and Eadestown GAA. Her other loves are singing, piano and doing drama with Stage Door & More and Kill Musical and Dramatic Society,” reports The Mirror.
“Jaye is being an incredibly brave little girl and has faced the challenges of chemotherapy, hair loss and nerve damage with an awesome mix of good spirits and good humour. Her big brother Nathan and big sister Naomi have been by her side supporting her throughout, providing her with all the love and positive energy they can to keep her going,” reports The Mirror.
“We are reaching out with humble hearts to ask for your support. Every donation, no matter the size will go directly towards her treatment, care and day to day expenses. Your generosity will not only ease the financial strain but also allow them to focus fully on what matters most – keeping Jaye surrounded by love and hope,” reports The Mirror.
“If you are unable to give financially, please consider sharing this page and keeping Jaye in your thoughts and prayers. Your kindness means more than words can express. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” reports The Mirror.
To date, the GoFundMe effort has gathered more than €99,300 towards its €120,000 target. Anyone wishing to contribute can visit the fundraiser here, reports The Mirror.
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