Janet Sylva, 12 years old, suffered from a tumor that kept on growing inside her mouth for three whole years. Sylva cannot eat, talk, or even smile properly. The tumor had gotten so big that it became bigger than her head, the Daily Mail reports.
Sylva’s tumor weighed six pounds. It made breathing for her extremely difficult. She thought that the tumor would cause her death if no action was to be done within a year.
Sylva received help from health organizations to take her to New York and remove the tumor, which doctors said that it was biggest that they have ever seen.
Sylva, who was born in Gambia, was initially healthy and nothing seemed to be wrong with her. Then she started complaining about mouth pain when she was only nine years old, her mom, Philomena, said.
Doctors then discovered that there’s a tumor developing on the girl’s lower jaw. The tumor, which was benign, was not treated and left growing by itself. By the time that it became a total nuisance and life threatening, the size was already considered untreatable in her own country.
Three years later, Sylva’s tumor is the same size of a grapefruit stuck inside her mouth because she just couldn’t chew it. She had to walk around with a scarf around and she lost confidence and self-esteem to interact with others and go to school.
Dr. David Hoffman, head of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery at Staten Island University Hospital, said the problem could’ve been avoided if actions were made immediately. Dr. Hoffman talked to the nonprofit group called Healing the Children about Sylva’s case.
Elissa Montanti, the founder of the Global Medical Relief Fund, helped Sylva get to New York and throughout the operation.
Montanti told Daily Mail back in January, “Originally, Janet was going to be treated at Staten Island University Hospital, but it wasn't until Dr Hoffman first saw her in person that he realized the extent of her condition. Between September and November, the tumor had grown. And it continued to grow right up until the day of surgery.”
Although the reason behind the growth of Sylva’s tumor remained unknown, Montanti contended that potable water may have had something to do with it.
Sylva’s surgery went on for about twelve hours. Dr. Hoffman and his colleague, Dr. Armen Kasabian, had to use 3D plastic models of the tumor and virtual simulation surgeries to practice before finally operating on Sylva.
Philomena said, “I’m very happy and grateful because I have my daughter back.”
