IS IT POSSIBLE? CAN A WOMAN TIE HERSELF TO A MAN OR VISA VERSA.
-HOW DO YOU TIE A PERSON?
-CAN THIS TIE BE REMOVED?
-WHAT ARE THE REPERCUSSIONS OF TYING SOMEONE TO YOU, AND IS IT WORTH IT?

Thomas Derriel feeds his daughter Tamara with supplements. – Contributed

At just six years old Tamara Derriel has embarked on the toughest fight of her life.

She has experienced more pain over the past year than many adults experience in a lifetime. Tamara is suffering from a rare cancer, paraganglioma, which causes her stomach to be dramatically inflamed. Other symptomsinclude difficulty eating, occasional vomiting and pain in various parts of her body.

Although she is able to walk, she is extremely weak and spends most of her time in bed. Tamara has been ill for the past year and unable to attend school. Like any normal six-year-old, she sometimes desires her favourite foods, yet she is often unable to eat them. Tamara is mainly restricted to high-protein supplements and energy drinks. Her parents fear that if she does not receive the necessary treatment immediately she will not live much longer.

Tamara lives with her parents in a remote community in Guy’s Hill, St Mary. Her father Thomas, is a famer, harvesting crops such as sugar cane and occasionally farming animals. However, business has been slow.

Tamara requires 24/7 hands-on assistance which is now the full-time occupation of her parents, who struggle with illiteracy, which has been a major barrier for them in seeking assistance. “I have been going to ChildrenHospital with her from last year May till now is April, nearly May again and her belly just keep growing,” Mr Derriel said.

national appeal

Earlier this year, Tamara was featured on CVM news. It was thought that a lot of support would have garnered from this national appeal, yet only $17,000 was raised.

Medical expenses have taken a toll on the family which often travels to St Ann’s Bay and Kingston to acquire medication and treatment. Not having a vehicle, each round trip can cost between $3,000 and $5,000, depending on whether both parents travel with Tamara.

Treatment so far has included a nuclear bone scan which costs $56,900 and medication costs anywhere up to $8,000 per month. Tamara is not even receiving chemotherapy. In addition to this, they have to purchase vitaminsupplements and other special dietary products. These are just a few of the expenses they contend with on a regular basis.

The Derriels said they currently have prescriptions for Tamara they cannot afford. It’s the parent’s desire for Tamara to receive specialist treatment overseas immediately before her situation deteriorates.

Karla Ashley of Island Fuse Entertainment, realising the desperation and urgency of the situation, has been communicating with the family. She is also making an appeal to corporate Jamaica. Joining forces with Tru Lov Music, they have initiated the ‘Save a Life’ tour, reaching out to schools and various venues to raise awareness and funds.

“It’s essential at this point for persons to donate whatever they can to this cause, a lot of small donations do add up. The danger is when persons, although sympathetic to the cause, rely on others to give rather than giving themselves,” stated Ashley.

Those wishing to help can contact the family at 809-3515 or 858-0986 or donate to Mr Derriel’s First Regional Co-operative Credit Union Highgate branch, account number 26500.

‘He Was Such A Nice Little Boy’

Tears flowed and emotions ran high at the McIntosh Memorial Primary School in Williamsfield, Manchester, yesterday as the death of 12-year-old Keinon Shaw was too much for his teachers and schoolmates to bear.

Keinon was murdered yesterday morning along with his mother, Woman Corporal Bevon Hutchinson-Anderson and father Rohan Shaw, by retired police Sergeant Osbourne Whitton, who also took his own life.

Principal Sheron Anderson, who got the news approximately 4 a.m., said the shock was overwhelming. She said she had to force herself to think about the anguish her students would go through so she took the necessary steps to have grief counsellors in place before they arrived for school.

Board chairman and chaplain, the Reverend Caswell Burton, as well as Dr Grace Kelly and a team from the Jamaica Association of Guidance Counsellors of Education, Constable Jaimy McIntosh, Anika Barlow, teachers and parents spent the day in counselling sessions with the children.

special poems

The children were separated in different groups, according to their grief assessment. Those closer to Keinon and affected the most were asked to write poems expressing their emotions. They all had fond memories of him.

His friend Michale wrote:

You never said you’re leaving

You never said goodbye

You were gone before we knew it

And only God knew why

A million times we needed you

A million times we cried

If love alone could have saved you

You never would have died

It is very sad to lose you

But you didn’t go alone

For a part of me went with you

The day God took you home

“He was so quiet, well-mannered and well-behaved. He was such a nice, pleasant child,” said his grade six teacher Donnette Simpson, who said she was weak at the knees when she first heard the news and needed a word of prayer for strength.

She added, “He and his mother had a great relationship. She was always here checking up on his progress and was such a caring mother. Whenever she came by and he saw her, his face would always light up.”

Principal Anderson remembered with a smile an exchange with Keinon, whose heart was set on attending Manchester High School in September.

“After the GSAT, I asked him how he did, and he said, ‘Miss, I love social studies and I know I did good, but I don’t love maths, so I not sure about it’.”

After a pause, the smile disappeared as she said, almost in tears, “He was such a nice little boy. How God? Why him couldn’t leave him?”

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