Helping 10-year-old cancer patient Zayyan Peterson and his family
This week, Jacaranda FM’s Good Morning Angels assisted 10-year-old cancer patient Zayyan Peterson and his family, as well as Cupcakes of Hope, which helps thousands of families every year.
Ten-year-old Zayyan Peterson loves science, mathematics and geography. He also loves reading, swimming, gaming and dogs.
Unfortunately, Zayyan has not been able to attend school this year because he has been fighting acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
Zayyan was just nine years old when he was diagnosed shortly after Christmas last year. He has been receiving treatment at Steve Biko Academic Hospital and is currently on maintenance treatment. His immune system is still too compromised for him to return to school or be among large groups of people.
Zayyan’s mom, Victoria, is taking care of him and cannot work.
Victoria says transport to and from the hospital is a big challenge. They have to use public transport, which is costly and poses a risk to Zayyan’s health, so they have to be very careful. Zayyan also needs healthy, nourishing food to help with his recovery.
Cupcakes of Hope has been assisting Victoria with some of the family’s needs to help ensure Zayyan gets the medical treatment he needs.
So far this year, the organisation has supported 1,987 families and delivered more than 3,700 care bags to young patients in 21 oncology wards across the country.
This Saturday, 26 September, Cupcakes of Hope will hold its annual National Cupcake Day fundraiser to help families of children with cancer.
Cupcakes of Hope founder Sandy Cipriano alerted Good Morning Angels to Victoria and Zayyan’s situation.
REQUEST FOR: Victoria Peterson and her 10-year-old son, Zayyan
REQUEST FROM: Sandy Cipriano, founder of Cupcakes of Hope
ANGEL 1: Hester Erasmus, co-owner of Moreleta SPAR, on behalf of SPAR North Region
SPONSORING: SPAR will assist Victoria and her family with a R2,500 grocery voucher every month for a year. That is groceries to the value of R30,000.
ANGEL 2: The Good Morning Angels Fund NPC
SPONSORING: The Good Morning Angels Fund will assist Victoria and her family with R30,000 towards transport costs and clothing.
To support Cupcakes of Hope’s annual National Cupcake Day fundraiser this Saturday, the Good Morning Angels Fund will also donate R100,000 to help the organisation assist more families like Victoria and Zayyan’s.
ORIGINAL REQUEST:
Hi, my name is Victoria Peterson. I’m 42 years old, married and a mother. I’m unemployed. I have a daughter who is 17 years old and in Grade 11, a 12-year-old son with special needs who has been diagnosed with autism and ADHD, and then my son Zayyan, who is 10 years old. He was diagnosed with ALL leukaemia on 27 December last year. He was nine years old at the time.
Before his diagnosis, he loved science, mathematics and geography. He did very well in Grade 4. He loves reading books and novels. He also loves dogs, puzzles, video games, swimming, cartoons, painting, Uno cards and remote-controlled vehicles.
He would love to go to Gold Reef City, and he’d like to go swimming. He misses school.
My biggest challenge is using public transport because Zayyan is extremely vulnerable to germs. I also have to keep up with Zayyan’s needs and the kinds of food he should eat. My biggest wish is to have my own car for emergencies and to take care of Zayyan’s needs.
I have been registered with Cupcakes of Hope since May this year, and I would like to thank them for helping Zayyan and me over the past few months. The money we have received from them has mostly been used for transport and food. Thank you, Cupcakes of Hope. You have really been a blessing in our lives. We appreciate all of you.
Zayyan is currently not going to school, and I’m taking care of him full-time. We hope he will be able to return to school next year, but that depends on his treatment plan.
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