Girl, 15, plans own funeral
2008-11-07 08:05
Gloria Edwards
Johannesburg - Three years ago she was her school's best 100-metre athlete and an excellent model, but now Danielle Roos, 15, has only a few months to live.
Danielle, from Springs on the East Rand, has Ewings Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer that masquerades as a soft-tissue injury.
Three months ago, her parents, Sollie, 39, and Francis Roos, 37, and younger sister, Bianca, 11, were living in a caravan park after they had to sell their house to pay for Danielle's medical costs.
When the doctors said there was nothing more they could do for her, Sollie decided that he didn't want his daughter to spend her last days in a caravan park.
With the help of a family member, they managed to secure a rented house in Sharon Park, where Danielle can sleep in a comfortable bed.
She is very weak, constantly in pain and prone to anxiety attacks.
But like all teenagers, she likes dressing up in something nice and loves it when her mom styles her hair, which has started to grow back.
Cancer spread
At the beginning of 2005, Danielle hurt her ankle during shot put.
"Doctors kept saying it was a soft-tissue injury, until Ewings sarcoma was eventually diagnosed in November 2005.
"By then it had already spread to her bone marrow, lungs and ribs," Francis said.
For months Danielle received chemotherapy and radiation at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital.
Francis, a bookkeepper, stopped work to take care of Danielle.
"Many a night I slept under her hospital bed while Sollie slept in the car in the parking lot and Bianca stayed with family."
Last year Danielle eventually went into remission and could return to Johan Jurgens High School, but she only managed to stay for the first quarter before starting to complain of backache.
"The hospital had not realised that the cancer had come back and had given her exercises to do," Francis said.
"A local oncologist said the cancer had moved into her spine and liver and that my child only had six months to live. That was three months ago."
Medical aid exhausted
When their medical aid was exhausted, Francis tried to raise money.
"But people scold me and say I'm like that woman from Alberton."
Beeld had carried a report about Juanita Venter, who had pretended her daughter had cancer in order to raise money through donations.
Danielle is now on morphine for the pain. Francis and Bianca take care of her round the clock, while Sollie - a machinist - works during the day.
"We are struggling financially, but I just want her last days to be comfortable," he said.
Danielle has planned her own funeral.
"We were so shocked when she gave us a letter we have to read and a list of the hymns we have to sing."
Trust details for Danielle Roos:
Bank: Nedbank
Savings account number: 2907766309
Branch Code: 190742
Mrs Francis Roos can be contacted at +27 82 9484423.
- Beeld