Baby Zendaya dies before transplant in Brazil

Apr 24, 2017 News

Zendaya Kassim, the baby whose family sought the public’s assistance for her to undergo a liver transplant in neighbouring Brazil, a few months ago, has died.
The eight-month-old girl died last Wednesday morning, before doctors were able to operate.
“After we took her over there, her condition became worse. Doctors were treating her and so, getting her ready for surgery, but she died before they could’ve operated,” the child’s aunt, Liz Bissoondial told Kaieteur News yesterday.
She explained that the infant’s body was being transported home, and was scheduled to arrive in Guyana sometime today.
Little Zendaya was diagnosed with multiple intra-hepatic cysts (tumors in the liver) which resulted in her needing an urgent liver transplant.

FLASHBACK – The then six-month-old Zendaya Kassim, in the arms of her mother, Zoelisa Shuman

According to the child’s mother, Zoelisa Shuman, the baby was born with jaundice and was being treated for the condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
However, the child’s condition deteriorated within a few months, and she was admitted to the institution’s Paediatric Ward last December.
After a series of medical tests, the baby was treated and sent home. But she was re-admitted to the very hospital just four days into the New Year.
It was then that further tests and scans revealed that the child had multiple intra–hepatic cysts.
The CT scan conducted by doctors, showed that Zendaya required a liver transplant. It was the only option the child’s parents had at the time.
Since liver transplant surgeries are not performed in Guyana, the child’s family were told that overseas surgery was necessary.
Efforts were then mobilised to arrange funds to cover the surgery. While the family was able to acquire some money for the procedure, it was a public spirited resident of Brazil who came across the Kaieteur News article online, and reached out to help.
“Her daughter had the same sick and needed surgery too, so she was very helpful to us,” the child’s aunt said.
She emphasized that Zendaya’s family is extremely grateful for all the help they had received leading up to the trip to Brazil.
“We would forever be thankful, because we tried everything that we could’ve and we were able to take her that far,” Bissoondial added.

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