A Langford family who lost their home and family business to an electrical fire in January 2011 is now in a fight to save their three-year-old daughter聮s life, as the toddler battles an extremely rare form of cancer. Hannah Day has been diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, which doctors say has only been found in three other children in the world.Hannah is the only case ever seen at B.C. Children聮s hospital in 91原创, where the family has been since Aug. 3. The noticeable deterioration of Hannah聮s health began in July when her stomach ballooned until 聯she looked like she was nine months聮 pregnant,聰 her mother, Brooke Ervin, said. Hannah聮s parents took their daughter to walk-in clinics and to their regular physician to treat the abnormally large belly, but no one could find what was wrong. Ervin said several doctors misdiagnosed the young girl聮s illness, suggesting she could be suffering from bad posture or constipation. A naturopath even suggested she had allergies to dairy and gluten. The family physician sent them to Victoria General when it was obvious that Hannah was having difficulty breathing. She was to get an emergency ultrasound, Ervin said, but they waited at the hospital for hours before being told to come back in the morning. They stayed, and when she was finally looked at, doctors 聯said they found a 4.5-centimetre mass in her tummy and we were rushed to Children聮s Hospital in a helicopter,聰 Ervin said. An ultrasound at B.C. Children聮s Hospital, however, found Hannah actually had a 15-centimetre cancerous mass that stretched from one side of her stomach to the other. She receives chemotherapy almost daily and will continue that regimen for the next year, as she battles her stage-four cancer. 聯I聮d like to take legal action, but I have no time and no money to sue anyone right now,聰 Ervin said. 聯I聮m trying to help my daughter fight for her life.聰Hannah underwent three surgeries in the past two weeks before doctors came up with the Rhabdomyosarcoma diagnosis. 聯Normal Rhabomyosarcoma is located in one spot and doesn聮t spread. Hannah聮s has spread everywhere,聰 Ervin said of the information provided by the specialists. 聯Because there聮s so much cancer everywhere, they can聮t see where the tumor started.聰It has not been a good time for the family in the past couple years. They lost everything when an electrical fire tore through their tiny suite on top of the family聮s welding shop. They were living above the business and saving to buy a home. Ervin has given up her job as a daycare provider and spends every moment she can by her daughter聮s bedside. Dad Robert Day has not returned to work at Ramsey聮s Machine shop in Sidney since going to 91原创 to be with Hannah. As they tend to their daughter, they have no money. A $50 food voucher from the hospital is all they have right now. Ervin rarely gets to see her other daughter, 10-month-old Hailey, who has been living with Day聮s mother in Maple Ridge.聯I聮ve seen her maybe two hours in the last 10 days,聰 she said. 聯I went from being with her every day to barely getting to see her, but I have so much going on with Hannah right now, I just can聮t leave her side.聰The chemotherapy has weakened Hannah to the point where she won聮t eat. She now wears a size-three diaper, down from her usual size six. Mom tries to hold food to her daughter聮s dried, cracked and bleeding lips, often without success. 聯The doctors don聮t know how long they will allow her to go before sticking a tube down her throat,聰 Ervin said. A spokeswoman from the 91原创 Island Health Authority said clinical staff reviewed Hannah聮s patient charts on Monday, and 聯this little girl received very timely and appropriate care聰 when visiting Victoria General Hospital twice. 聯We recognize the stress and anxiety this family must be going through during this difficult time, and again emphasize that the care this little girl received at Victoria General was appropriate given the information available,聰 said the VIHA statement. Friends and family have launched a social-media campaign to raise money for the family. To donate, go to angelsforhannah.com. [email protected]
