Local musician Allen Mhlanga is appealing for financial assistance for medical treatment for his 10-year-old son, Lancaster Bonisa Mhlanga, who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
AML is a rare and aggressive cancer that affects the bone marrow and blood. If left untreated, it can be life-threatening.
Lancaster is currently recovering and undergoing maintenance therapy at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare and Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo.
Narrating his ordeal to CITE, Mhlanga, who lives in South Africa, said he noticed a change in his son’s weight during a visit home.
“For the past few years, I’ve been based in South Africa, but I often visit home to check on my kids. During Covid-19, I transferred him to St. Paul in Lupane. When I came to see him again, he didn’t look well. He started losing weight and was suffering from tonsils,” he said.
“I took him to the clinic. After a week, I hadn’t seen much improvement, so I decided to take him for regular check ups. They did several tests, and the first question the doctors asked was where I lived. They then told me I was dealing with a serious situation – they suspected acute leukemia, or blood cancer.”
Mhlanga said he could see the shock on the doctor’s face as he processed the news.
“A week later, we went to Mpilo Hospital. They sent the test results to Harare, and the doctors there said that if we kept him with those results, he could have a stroke at any minute. We were transferred from Mpilo Hospital to Parirenyatwa in Harare.”
“They ran the tests again in Harare and confirmed that it was indeed acute leukemia. His cancer cells had spread throughout his entire system – 100% of it was cancer. I didn’t understand everything, and the doctors started explaining it to me,” Mhlanga said.
They were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Parirenyatwa, where children with cancer are treated.
“He underwent chemotherapy treatment. When they checked him after a month, they found that 98% of the cancer cells had died, which was a significant improvement. I understand that the cancer cells are gone, but it takes three years for this type of cancer to be completely eliminated from a boy’s system. He’s been on treatment since April.”
Currently, his son needs to visit the hospital twice a month, both in Harare and Bulawayo.
“Starting this month, he’s begun maintenance therapy, which will continue for three years. He needs to go to the hospital once a month in Harare and once a month in Mpilo Hospital. So, it’s two hospital visits every month for three years.”
Mhlanga is appealing for financial assistance to cover the cost of medication and other necessities needed for his son’s treatment during the maintenance stage.
“I also want to transfer him from Lupane so he can be closer to Mpilo Hospital,” he said.
Those who wish to assist Mhlanga can contact him on +263 785 787 416.
