Lili-Mae living through leukaemia
At the tender age of seven, Lili-Mae Bodman is not letting leukaemia get her down, despite the fact that hospital has become like her second home since she was nine-months-old.
After a string of operations marking her first four years, LiliMae was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) in November 2019 at age five.
Today, she is in remission, undergoing her last phase of three year treatment for the next 19 months.
“For Lili, going to hospital is like going to school. It’s a normal part of her life,” says her mother, Janene Bodman. But her daughter takes it in her stride.
“I have an incredible child. She is always full of joy, smiling and laughing,” Bodman said, adding that one of the hardest things Lili has had to face was not being allowed to attend school and see other kids for the majority of her treatment, as she is very social and friendly.
Lili-Mae has just started Grade 1 at Athlone Primary School, after homeschooling and correspondence learning for her Grade R year. Bodman said Athlone Primary has been so supportive in assisting Lili-Mae’s schooling. Her teacher, Mrs Kerri Holding, would even visit her one afternoon every week to check in with her and keep her up to date with her school work.
“She has been so happy to be back at school. She loves school and being able to see her friends.”
Losing her beautiful blonde locks due to her chemo treatment has been another big struggle for Lili, who has had to shave her head twice due to hair loss.
“It grew back, but recently started falling out again,” said Bodman, adding that she no longer hides it anymore. When her mother brought her some hats and beanies to wear to school, Lili said, “Don’t worry mom, if anyone asks, I’ll just tell them why I don’t have hair.”
Bodman said her daughter has a resilient spirit that not even her sickness can squash. Lili-Mae has even survived Covid-19 during her treatment last year, though fortunately, she was asymptomatic.
It’s never easy to watch your child suffer, but for Bodman, her faith in God and a great support system is what carries her.
“I believe in God, and he has been carrying me through everything. He fills me with peace. There are times that I question why she has to go through all this, but at the end of the day, you have to stay positive.”
Lili-Mae loves “everything girly”, dressing up, swimming and visiting the ocean whenever she can.
In June, the 14th annual Jade Sky Memorial Hike from the Sani Pass border to the Lesotho Drakensberg border will raise funds towards Lili-Mae’s medical expenses and DKMS-Africa, formerly known as the Sunflower Fund.
The hike, taking place on Sunday, June 20, is in memory of Jade Preston, who died of leukaemia when she was only eight. The fundraiser hike, founded by Ian and Mandy Tyrer of Maritzburg Tutors, was initially created to raise funds for Preston’s treatment, but is since held in her memory and to commemorate and raise awareness around cancer fighters and those affected by the disease.
Funds raised assist the DKMS in recruiting more stem cell donors, as well as families and cancer patients with costs toward transplants.
The event is open to both physical and virtual hikers. Entry costs are R120 for actual hikers and R50 for virtual hikers. For more information or to book a spot on the hike contact Mandy Tyrer: 082 459 6095 / mandytyrer@vodamail.co.za or visit their Facebook page: Jade Sky Hike 2021