2.5-year-old girl in S’pore diagnosed with blood cancer, parents appealing for medical donations

2.5-year-old girl diagnosed with rare form of blood cancer

Jealene Caleisha Tanjaya, a 2.5-year-old girl, has been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer — Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML).

She began showing symptoms late last year when red spots started appearing on her face and body whenever she cried.

In the beginning, only one or two spots appeared on her face and they would disappear after two to three days. Thereafter, it got worse as more red spots appeared on her face and body each time she cried.

Source: Give.Asia

It was initially diagnosed as an allergy or hemangioma by doctors in Indonesia.

A hemangioma is a common, benign growth made of extra blood vessels in the skin. Most hemangiomas go through phases of growth before going away on their own.

Test at NUH confirms girl has rare blood cancer

However, her parents were not convinced by the initial diagnosis. A complete blood test conducted on 1 Apr 2024 revealed high white blood cells and low platelets, which suggests she may have leukaemia instead.

A Bone Marrow Aspiration Test done at the National University Hospital (NUH) confirmed her parents’ worst fears.

She has JMML, a rare type of high-risk blood cancer that affects just 1 in a million kids worldwide.

Source: Give.Asia

Jealene is currently receiving treatment and care at NUH. She needs chemotherapy and a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HPSCT) within the next three months to treat her condition.

Unfortunately, the costs of these intensive cancer treatments are very high in Singapore, with the overall medical bill expected to come up to more than S$330,000.

Help needed to cope with extensive medical bills

During this difficult period, her parents are appealing to members of the public for their support and kindness.

The public can help Jealene fight the rare form of blood cancer by either donating or spreading the word among friends and family.

Source: Give.Asia

About S$130,000 has been raised at the time of writing.

Those who are keen on donating may do so via the Give.Asia page here.

Also read: 19-month-old child in M’sia diagnosed with ovarian cancer, public raises S$9K to cushion medical expenses

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Featured image adapted from Give.Asia.