WISHES DO COME TRUE Cancer survivor gets shopping spree, smartphone
Thank God my daughter lives with me. No matter how sick I felt, she was my motivation to get out of bed and fight the good fight.
Taneisha Smith wished that she could have a good phone and be able to enjoy a shopping spree for once in her life without having to be counting the pennies.
That wish came true when Huixiong Liao of National Wholesale on Brooks Avenue in May Pen, through the Grant A Wish For Easter programme, gave her the opportunity to pick up whatever she needed.
“I was moved by her request, and, after seeing all that she had been through, it seemed a simple thing for me to do. My reward was seeing the look of joy on her face as she was able to shop and not worry about the cost,” Liao told THE STAR.
In addition to the groceries, Smith had also wished for a phone so she could be in touch with her friends and relatives. The businessman also made that wish a reality by presenting her with a Samsung J5 10, which Smith said was beyond her wildest expectations.
Smith, the mother of an eightyear-old girl, had to deal with the discovery that she had endometrial cancer. She has been hospitalised more times than she remembers.
During the time in her life when she wondered about her future as she faced uncertain times battling cancer and dealing with chemotherapy and radiation, Smith also had to deal with the death of one of her aunts, who was a big motivator and support for her.
Unable to work or support herself or her daughter throughout the process, she said there were times she felt like giving up as the pain and sleepless nights wore her down.
“Thank God my daughter lives with me. No matter how sick I felt, she was my motivation to get out bed and fight the good fight. I wake up each morning ensuring that she is ready for school and assignments are done,” said Smith.
DREAM COME TRUE
Smith said she can’t thank Liao enough for making her dream come true.
While she needed a lot of the groceries she picked up, she was over the moon about one particular item.
“God, how I love shrimp! I have always wanted to eat it at home but was never able to afford it. I shall be ever grateful for the chance to enjoy it,” she said.
As she put her illness behind her, with the last radiation therapy done last month, she is now looking forward to a way being opened for her to pursue her dream of being a nurse or a pharmacist.
“I know I have the potential to achieve this goal, but owing to financial constraints, I don’t see a way yet. I am here today as a cancer survivor to tell you and encourage everyone that no matter how hard the battle is, never give up. Though the pain may be agonising, you must push with all your might,” she said.