Taisha's Journey

Taisha's Journey

Blackwood Little Theatre are raising funds for this remarkable young lady - a member of our Younger Generation who is about to undergo some radical treatment in Newcastle for the condition CGD.  It will mean chemotherapy and a Bone Marrow Transplant, along with around 16 weeks in Hospital.   The funds we raise will help Taisha's family stay close by for the period of her treatment...all those miles from home.  Please donate what you can, so that we can help BLT's Taisha.    

This is her story, this is her Journey.  

My name is Taisha and I am 15 years old. I believe I as 3 months old when I was diagnosed as a “symptomatic carrier of CGD”, which basically means “I have it” BUT “I can’t have it” as it only manifests in males according to all medical research. I’ve undergone many different treatments over the years but all have failed ending in either a rash all over my body or anaphylactic shock!.. until we found MMF (Mycophenolic Acid). I’ve been loads better on this but still not perfect, I love drama and dance loads, most people that attend younger generation probably still go out every day and enjoy themselves whereas I have to manage my days out due to tiredness (If I want to go to practice I have to stay in and go to bed early just to save energy for it). I stay in every Monday just so I can prioritise Blackwood Little Theatre evening, I don’t regret having to stay in the day before and missing out on anything as it’s my best day of the week. 

Mum & Dad’s story;
 
After bringing up 2 previous children we knew Taisha was different straight away, she always cried even when we picked her up to comfort her, but as the month’s / years went by we began to find out why. We always knew she would be a carrier to CGD as her dad has the condition and was always told that males have the condition and females carry the condition. But from the age of 2 months Taisha kept having chest infections so we were always in and out of hospital, then we had the call to go to Great Ormond Street hospital in London where we met Prof. Goldblatt  and he tested Taisha and informed us that her oxygen burst levels (a way of checking for CGD) were well below normal for a carrier. So the long and short of the story Taisha broke all medical documentation and was known as a symptomatic carrier from the age of 3 months, this brought on various problems including Lupus/Skin problems/colitis & arthritis along with re-occurring infections throughout the rest of her life. We have had many hospital stays and doctors have tried many different treatments and over the past 6 years Taisha has been a very different child to what she used to be due to a new medicine (MMF) they started when she was 9. But unfortunately with the cocktail of drugs Taisha is taking daily (antibiotics for both bacteria & fungal / steroids / antihistamines / iron tablets etc) they are bringing on more problems and she can’t stay on them much longer, therefore the only option left for Taisha is a bone marrow transplant which itself is very risky. We have to go to Newcastle for the procedure and will be up there approx. 16+ weeks so Mum will stay up there with her during this so as well as having to go through the trauma of Taisha’s transplant and have a family split in two (Taisha & Mum in Newcastle and Dad / her brother & sister back at home). We also found out 2 weeks ago that we have to find our own accommodation which has added even more stress as my wife is self-employed so the only income will be dad. But being parents we will do whatever we have to do to help our little girl through this so that she can get better and stress mum & dad out in different way without illness.


We aim to raise £3000 to help this lovely family.  Please help all that you can.  Estimated costs for the family are over £5000, so every penny that you can spare would be truly appreciated.

Thank you - Team Blackwood Little Theatre