Elisha Molefe

A 29-year-old young mother from Boikhutso township near Lichtenburg in North West is haunted by a medical doctor's advice.

The advice: "Your daughter cannot be helped, so live with it."

Johannah Molatelo said the doctor gave her this appalling opinion when she took her nine-year-old child, Dikeledi, for a check-up at a local hospital.

Dikeledi was diagnosed with cancer 11 months ago.

Molatelo said that her troubles started when Dikeledi came home from school and told her that she had been hit in the face with a tennis ball.

"She felt itchy and I took her to a local clinic were they transferred her to the general hospital at Lichtenburg.

"But the hospital detected nothing and sent her to Klerksdorp for further investigations," said Molatelo.

She said her daughter underwent an inner-mouth operation in Klerksdorp were she was told blood was drained from the child's swollen area.

Molatelo said that she was horrified when her child started spitting pieces of flesh.

She said that when she then took her child to Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto she was told her child had cancer.

"My child's condition had deteriorated at Klerksdorp Hospital. The doctors there should have medical knowledge to detect cancer and treat it before it becomes worse."

Molatelo carries a heavy burden on her shoulders. Besides taking care of a sick child, she is single and unemployed.

"My child is always in pain, especially when she wants food. But most of the time there is no food to feed her," said Molatelo.

Elizabeth Lethoko, mayor of Lichtenburg, recently visited the family and offered to help them with groceries to ease their burden.

"I am happy with the mayor's gesture but what I need is someone who can help my baby.

"I can't sleep knowing that my daughter can't be helped," said Molatelo, whose cellphone number is: 078-411-6699.