Good Morning Angels - Honouring Vijilia
We bring tribute to 20-year old Vijilia Esquino with an additional R100 000,00 to register another 50 bone marrow donors
VIJILIA ESQUINO TOUCHED OUR LIVES
There is no doubt that 20-year old Vijilia Esquino was loved. All who knew her, were impressed, inspired and touched by her fighting spirit and kind nature. Her battle with cancer moved Jacaranda FM listeners.
Vijilia was diagnosed with an acute form of Leukaemia a few years ago. Her family went above and beyond to help her. After several rounds of treatment, they thought the battle was over - until last Christmas Eve. The cancer was back with a vengeance and this time, it was in her spinal fluid. Her only hope of survival: a bone marrow transplant. There was no match for her in South Africa and the search went international. One match was found in Brazil. That's when Good Morning Angels got involved: to source the R50 000,00 needed to bring the life saving bone marrow to South Africa. Within five days, Jacaranda FM listeners contributed over R300 000,00 to help Vijilia. This was enough to harvest and transport the bone marrow, take Vijilia on a medical flight to Cape Town and prepare her body for the transplant. Vijilia's response: "God wants me to live, mommy."
Vijilia's body had been through so much chemo. She became very ill - even before the flight to Cape Town on Monday, 4 February. Just over two weeks later, on 20 February 2013, Vijilia's fight ended. She passed away in Cape Town. Her family posted the news on Facebook with a simple message: "Dear family and friends. This will be the last update on our princess. Vijilia has passed away this afternoon after a long battle of Leukaemia. She is peaceful and the suffering has ended as the Lord has taken her under his wing. Thank u for ur support and prayers".
Her uncle, Howard Godfrey says Vijilia was cremated the next day and her memorial service was held in White River this past Friday, 1 March 2013.
Rest in Peace beautiful, brave girl. Your life mattered.
BONE MARROW SUCCESS: LITTLE DEANé IS ALMOST 5!
Little Deane from Amsterdam in Mpumalanga was almost two years old and fighting for her life when we first met her and mom, Colette in May 2010. She was diagnosed with Leukaemia and needed an urgent bone marrow transplant. With the help of our JacarandaFM listeners, enough funds were raised for the transplant, which she had on 16 November of that year, in the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria. The donor was, as we understood, also a Jacaranda FM listener who decided to sign up to the bone marrow register. Little Deane is healthy and strong and will be turning 5-years old this coming May, because of her donor - a perfect stranger, who decided to make a difference. Deané en Colette visit us in studio today!
Below is the original request and an article Dianne wrote for Vrouekeur with all the full story:
REGISTER TO BECOME A BONE MARROW DONOR: YOU CAN SAVE A LIFE!
We spoke to the Sunflower Fund's Operations Manager Tarryn Boden to get the facts:
THE FACTS:
To register to become a bone marrow donor is NOT painful: two test tubes of your blood will be extracted for molecular analysis, to be placed on the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR).
The testing costs The Sunflower Fund R2000,00 to test each donor. Between now and the 06th April, Jacaranda FM is sponsoring 50 of their listeners to join the SABMR.
Call The Sunflower Fund toll free number 0800 12 10 82 or visit www.sunflowerfund.org.za for more information. They will send you donor information to read, make sure you read the information and call their toll free number again to register. If you meet the donor criteria and they will complete your application form and direct you to your closest testing centre When you call The Sunflower Fund to register, mention that you are a Jacaranda FM listener and you will save The Sunflower Fund R2000.
Once all this has been done, you will be placed on the South African Bone Marrow Registry.
If you are found to be a match for someone someday, you will receive a call from the SABMR.
You will need to take a day's sick leave.
To donate bone marrow stem cells is not painful: no drilling into your bones!
To donate, you will be required to sit in a big, comfy chair, with a drip in each arm for 4-6 hours. Once you are done, you can go home!
If you are not among the 50 people sponsored by Good Morning Angels and you want to register, but cannot afford to donate towards the cost of R2000,00, The Sunflower Fund will put you on their waiting list and as soon as funds become available, they will send you your form- you can then still register without any cost to you!
For all the info visit: www.sunflowerfund.org.za