‘One is better than none’: Amri, 7, regains sight days after starting cancer treatment

Seven-year-old Amri Abrahams’ family thought the severe swelling that appeared after a tooth extraction would eventually subside. Instead, it grew worse and was followed by a frightening new symptom: blurred vision.

His family sought help at several health-care facilities as they searched for answers. According to the Western Cape department of health and wellness, they were initially told the swelling could be caused by cysts , while subsequent scans suggested a blood clot.

But further investigations at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital revealed something far more serious. The mass was a tumour. A biopsy confirmed that Amri had stage 4 Burkitt B-cell lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer.

For his parents, the diagnosis was devastating. His father, Yusuf Abrahams, said they felt helpless watching their son endure the ordeal.