“Save Jinnelee’s Future”: Mom Pleads for Financial Help for 14-Year-Old Daughter’s Scoliosis Surgery

• Jennifer Jansen van Vuuren, the mother of 14-year-old daughter Jinnelee who battles with scoliosis, asked the community for financial assistance regarding her child's surgery
• Jinnelee had been diagnosed with the disorder at 10 and needed urgent surgery costing hundreds of thousands of rands
• Scoliosis is the curvature of the spine, with symptoms that include an uneven waist and shoulders, and a jutting rib cage

A South African mother, Jennifer Jansen van Vuuren, hoping to ease her daughter's pain has approached her community for assistance as her 14-year-old daughter Jinnelee battles scoliosis.

The teen faces a critical surgery that requires her family to fork out hundreds of thousands of rands.

Jinnelee's life with scoliosis

In her BackaBuddy campaign, Jennifer explains that her daughter has lived with chronic pain and limited mobility since she was 10. However, Jinnelee still shows remarkable courage and determination, even though her condition is worsening by the day.

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"Her spine is severely curved, causing her immense pain, discomfort, and breathing difficulties. Simple tasks like walking, sitting, and even breathing have become daunting challenges."

A mother's plea for help

Jennifer shares that the family has turned to the community for assistance because the government allegedly cut funding for essential surgeries.

"We've been told that until funding becomes available, Jinnelee's surgery will remain on hold.

"We're not asking for donations. We're asking for a chance to save Jinnelee's future."

The mother notes that donations would help cover surgery and medical care, hospitalisation and recovery, and rehabilitation and physical therapy.

She notes that besides monetary assistance, people can also help by sharing her daughter's story with their networks, spreading the word about the fundraising campaign, and offering words of encouragement and support.

At the time of the article's publication, the family raised over R57 000 as they strive to reach their goal of R700 000.

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"Every day counts, and delaying Jinnelee's treatment puts her at risk of permanent paralysis. We can't afford to wait. We need your help now."

What is scoliosis?

According to the health publication Mayo Clinic, scoliosis (often diagnosed in adolescents) is the sideways curvature of the spine. While most cases are mild, sometimes the curve worsens as children grow.

Mayo Clinic states that healthcare providers are unaware of the causes of the most common type of scoliosis. However, the disorder may run in families. On the other hand, less common types may be caused by the following:

• Spinal cord irregularities.
• Infections or injuries of the spine.
• Surgery on the chest wall as an infant.
• Birth defects which affect the spine's bone development.
• Certain neuromuscular conditions (for example, cerebral palsy).

Regarding the symptoms, it may include:

• Uneven waist and shoulders.
• One hip higher than the other.
• A shoulder blade that may be more prominent than the other.
• The rib cage being prominent on one side.
• Prominence on one side of the back when bending forward.

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3 Other stories about urgent surgeries

• In another article, Briefly News reported about a mother who was in tears when her six-year-old son with a hole in his heart received over R12 000 for his surgery.
• A seven-year-old girl, Liza Scott, surprised many when she raised R3.8 million for her brain surgery by selling lemonade.
• A homeless woman cried and pleaded with the online community for help so that she could undergo surgery for her fibroid.

Source: Briefly News