19 Apr Mayes Family Story
Stacey Mayes and her daughter, Zyann, have endured a journey that most families can’t even imagine. At just four years old, Zyann was diagnosed with an atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor, or ATRT, an aggressive childhood cancer.
Zyann’s symptoms started out slow, manifesting as fatigue and headache. However, as time went on, she grew progressively worse. She couldn’t eat or sleep, often waking up in the middle of the night screaming that her head hurt. She even became painfully photosensitive, barring her from playing outside with her brother or simply going to the store. Stacey knew something was wrong and took Zyann to their local pediatrician in Pelion, S.C. The pediatrician reassured Stacey that Zyann simply had allergies and sent them home.
But Stacey’s intuition told her something different. It took three more doctors and two ER visits before Zyann’s condition was taken seriously by a concerned nurse. Stacey recalls the scene: “She turned to me, when no one else would even listen, and said ‘Something isn’t right with your daughter.'” The nurse convinced a new doctor to schedule Zyann for an MRI, and the results were devestating. Stacey, at the point of tears, says, “I knew something was wrong, but not this, not cancer.” Zyann was immediately transferred to the Children’s Hospital at MUSC, where she underwent surgery to remove the tumor.
The surgery was a great success, removing 85 percent of the physical tumor with no sign of reoccurrence thus far. Zyann is in the process of recovery, splitting her days between chemotherapy and coloring pictures in the playroom of the Ronald McDonald House. “It’s great being so close to the hospital,” says Stacey, “It’s a home-away-from-home that actually feels exactly like a home.”
In an effort to raise awareness for other parents whose children have been misdiagnosed, Stacey has created a Facebook page for her daughter that shares their story and allows for community input and support.
Stacey and Zyann have a long journey still ahead of them, but their strength, love and determination are all shared by those at the Ronald McDonald House of Charleston.
Show Your Support
To find out more about how you can help Ronald McDonald House of Charleston support families like Stacey and Zyann’s, please contact Barbara A. Bond at 843-723-7957 Ext. 302 or Barbara@RMHCharleston.org.