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In late July, 14-year-old Tracy-Ann Ricketts complained of a pain in her cheek. Due to its intensity, and based on the fact that there was a swelling in the regions of her cheek, Tracy-Ann's parents decided to seek urgent medical assistance.

"She did a CT scan and a MRI to find out what is going on, and when we took it to Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), the doctor read that she has osteosarcoma and it spread to the salivary glands," her father Trace Ricketts told THE WEEKEND STAR. Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer.

"She is in constant pain. It is not easy for her. She is just at a point where she has to bear it now. She can't eat or do anything. Everything has to be given to her through a straw," he said. "The only thing she can take right now is painkiller, and they are not even helping."

Biopsy is required

The last few months have been difficult for Tracy-Ann and her parents. Her father recalls rushing her to a private health facility to get a biopsy done. This was after he was told by doctors at KPH that the procedure could not be done due to a malfunctioning air-conditioning unit. A biopsy is required to determine what course of treatment she needs to remove the cancerous cells.

Tracy-Ann got the chance to do the biopsy last week, and samples from the tumour have been be sent to Miami in the US for analysis.

"From what the doctor is telling me, the cost for her to get treatment after the results is going be expensive," the concerned father said. "The doctor said she will have to do treatment before surgery and she will have to undergo a massive operation, which is going to cost a lot of money, but he didn't give me a figure. A bare money just a spend from when it's not easy. Any help we can get right now would mean so much to us."

Ricketts said the family has set up a GoFundMe account and opened a Jamaica National account so persons can donate what they can.

"Tracy-Ann is in need of treatment and surgery, and I'm hoping for the best because I'm just trying to take care of my baby. No one will know the pain of what we are going through until they step into it," he said.

Those who wish to assist Tracy-Ann may donate to account #20000154995 in the name Trace Ricketts at the Brown's Town Branch of Jamaica National or