15 year old Louise Belisle - a student of Edward P Yorke high school- has been diagnosed by a local practitioner - with a deadly form of bone cancer called - osteochondroma.
Her family was told that the chances of survival for patients living with this rare type of cancer are only 30 percent. The teenage girl has been complaining about pain in her right knee for past four years and told us it has gotten worse over the last 2 months since the pain has now spread to other parts of her body including her shoulders and elbows. Today her mother told Seven News that they are now awaiting the results of some tests that have been sent out to California.
Thelma Ramirez, Mother
"The doctor said that her left hand is cold and the right hand is warm up to the elbow, so i started to worry when he told me that this is not good news, the doctor told us that she need to take some test, at the diagnoses center, it cost me $85 dollars each test, and we were don't with the test, we went back to the doctor, and when i got there i gave him all the papers, and he started to look at me and ten he looked at my daughter and i got frightened, so told him whatever he had to tell me, i didn't want to know, but a attacked strong, and when Ms. Sophie MacFadzen when in they told her and I heard it, because she hold me down because I could not take it, it was very, very hard for me. it was as if my life had left me."
Monica Bodden
"What was the news that doctor....... gave you?"
Thelma Ramirez, Mother
"Well doctor......said it is cancerous, and then he said the cases like that only have 30 percent chance, and this worries me. We got a second opinion from Doctor Grant, he is a specialist in cancer, he's clinic is in Dangriga. All the papers went to him, to his clinic and they told us this morning how they will get the papers to California, and told us they would send us the result back. Friday night i got a call from Medical Associate and they told me that i could go in, one of my friends works there, she is a secretary, so she called me and i went to Medical Associate, and I went to the doctor which is Mr. Francis Smith, he is a specialist in bones, he said don't worry I don't see cancer in this. He made me feel good with less worries and he told me that she could take and operation. I could it at the Medical Associate."
Monica Bodden
"Did he say, take an operation for what?"
Thelma Ramirez, Mother
"He said an operation to cut out what is growing, that what he said, I don't know because, I just lessen to the doctor, but he made me feel much better, when he told me that, and he said to stop worrying."
Louise Belisle-Student of Edward P Yorke high school
"Sense last year in August, but about four years now it's been growing."
Monica Bodden
"You notice the swelling now getting a little bigger over the past year?"
Louise Belisle-Student of Edward P Yorke high school "Yes, and then the bigger it gets the more it hurts, i use to always complain but my mom never took it serious."
Monica Bodden
"At first you thought that you might have gotten an injury?"
Louise Belisle-Student of Edward P Yorke high school
"Yes."
Monica Bodden
"While doing "P.E"?"
Louise Belisle-Student of Edward P Yorke high school
"I thought I had fallen."
Monica Bodden
"When did the pain in your shoulder started affecting you?"
Louise Belisle-Student of Edward P Yorke high school
"Well, I don't really remember, but I think it's after when my knee started to hurt, because certain times I couldn't walk, and after that my shoulder started to affect me."
Monica Bodden
"What was going through you mind when the doctor said, this thing is cancerous and a deadly cancer?"
Louise Belisle-Student of Edward P Yorke high school
"Well, he didn't tell me, he told my mom and Ms. Sophie MacFadzen and then came in the vehicle and they told me and I didn't feel anyway it was just like any other news."
The family is planning on taking 15 year old Louise Belisle abroad for further treatment and are appealing to the general public for help to make it possible. For those who are interested in helping the teenage girl, contributions can be made to number 62493 at the Holy Redeemer Credit Union. The family can be reached at telephone number 636-0424.
