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Flora Fadzai Sibanda – [email protected]

Ashley Sibanda (13)’s mother, Ms Samantha Ndebele, is appealing for US$40 000 to take her to India for an operation to remove a cancerous tumour in her mouth.

The money is meant to cover surgery costs, travel and accommodation expenses for Ashley and Ms Ndebele.

Ashley, who was doing Form One at Nyanda High School, has since stopped attending classes as a result of the tumour.

The girl was diagnosed with cancer late last year and her situation has deteriorated fast in the last few months.

“It started as a small tooth that was growing where she already had another tooth. That is when we decided to take her to a dental clinic and they removed the extra tooth.

“After the operation, a lump developed and I thought it would go away but after seeing it was growing, I became worried and took her to Mpilo Central Hospital. At Mpilo they told me she has cancer,” said Ms Ndebele.

She said her daughter is taking antibiotics and pain relievers to manage the condition as the pain sometimes becomes unbearable.

Ms Ndebele said Ashley has stopped going to school because she fears her condition might get worse while at school.

“I don’t even know how I will manage to raise the funds needed for her to go to India because I am a single parent surviving on vending. My daughter is not feeling well and this has forced me to stop vending in order to attend to her. A GoFundMe account has been created by my relatives to try and raise money so that she can go to India,” she said.

Ashley Sibanda

Ms Ndebele said the doctors have advised that the bone with cancer cells should be removed and replaced with another bone from her body.

She said seeing her daughter in pain breaks her heart as she is still young.

Ms Ndebele who is appealing to well-wishers to assist her to raise the required funds, can be contacted on +263772 775 185.