It was a struggle, but 16-year-old Ryelisa Taylor fought to see the end of the year, and has set herself up to battle through the year 2012 with a disease that has a low 20 to 30 percent survival rate.
The teenager is diagnosed with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the muscles that has spread to numerous places around her body. It's a disease she has been fighting for three years, which recently robbed her of the ability to walk, and has left her paralyzed from the waist down. Her disease has progressed to the point where her treatments have been stopped. At this point, her mother Amelia Taylor says it's not about saving her daughter's life anymore, but more about making her comfortable and keeping her spirits up -- for whatever time she has left.
But like a true mother she hasn't given up hope. She is constantly searching for treatment centers abroad that may be able to do more for her daughter than has already been done even though she knows her daughter's situation is dire.
"I do pray that she gets better and that a miracle can be done for her like she is hoping," says Taylor's mother. "But the reality is that the illness is progressing and according to her doctor there is nothing more that can be done so I should just keep her happy and upbeat. She may go anytime now -- be it less than a year, or maybe she can hold out for two years -- no one knows except God, but I pray I can see many more years with her. She is such a positive child. And even now she isn't giving up that something will happen for her."
The teenager's fight with cancer started at age 13. She found a lump under her breast and at first she wasn't alarmed because she thought it was just a mosquito bite. Then it began to grow and harden. Her mother took her to seek medical help. The mass was biopsied and Ryelisa was diagnosed with the rare cancer that has turned her life upside down. She is no longer able to walk, and no longer attends school.
Dr. Corrine Sinquee, a medical specialist in pediatric hematology and oncology who operates out of the Bahamas Heart Center located at 72 Collins Avenue says it is unfortunate that there is nothing else that can be done for Taylor whose tumors have not subsided and are now unresponsive to the different forms of treatment.
"What Ryelisa is suffering from is not a common kind of cancer at all. It's in the muscles and hers appeared in both breasts at first and eventually appeared in numerous locations throughout her body including her neck. This really made treatment for her difficult," said Dr. Sinquee. "We tried several different drug therapies and radiation and there was some response at first, but the tumors never completely were eradicated. The cancer is currently in her spine as well which is why she has also lost her ability to walk. So really, although we have tried throughout the years to treat her tumors the outcome is not good. The survival rate for this kind of tumor is only 20 to 30 percent -- especially as she has already survived three years with it."
Taylor who appears upbeat when you speak to her says her biggest challenge now is that she is unable to walk, having lost that ability a few months ago.
"I didn't quite know what to do or say about it when I found out I had cancer. I tried to keep positive but I was still upset," said Ryelisa. Like all cancer patients she lost her hair to the treatment, but was happy because she said things seemed to get better.
Remaining upbeat in the face of the deadly disease, Taylor says she thinks she will be one of the lucky ones that will make it. What she dislikes most is how much the disease disrupts her life. She has tried to continue doing normal activities. But that was interrupted when she began to have trouble walking.
"I started noticing that my legs were really heavy and I couldn't stop stumbling. I got checked out soon after and the cancer is now in my back. I wasn't too happy because I had to leave school (Government High School) in the middle of grade 11." She is looking forward to trying home schooling and getting her life back to normal.
Her doctor is pleased about the attitude the teen has adopted to everything that is happening to her. She is glad at the end of the day that her patient chose to live a bit and not worry about being sick.
"There is no saying things would've been better had she done all of her treatments on time. [Taylor had opted to skip a few treatments when she wasn't feeling up to it.] She is young and it's not unreasonable to want to be a part of normal activities rather than give up that time to do treatments," said Dr. Sinquee. "She was able to just enjoy herself while she was still in much better health so that is a good thing. Right now there is nothing else to do, so I am trying to do what I can to keep her positive and realistic when it comes to her condition. She is really upbeat and positive even with the prognosis so I'm happy about that."
Although she has had her life turned upside down, Taylor says she is still holding her head high and is still dreaming of becoming a nurse one day. After spending so much time in doctor's offices over the last three years, she is more determined than ever to make her dream come true. She hopes to get back to studying for school so she can work toward that goal. She says although things don't look good now, Taylor says there is always a chance it will change, and she wants to be ready for it when it happens.
Life is still precious and Taylor says she still intends to live it as best she can.
The teen was recently able to fulfill one of her life's dreams which was to spend time at Atlantis. She and her mother enjoyed a two-night stay at the resort, December 26-28. Taylor says she had a great time.
"I didn't feel too good for most of the time but it was just great. I was surprised when Dr. Sinquee, told me the arrangements had been made and I could spend two whole days there," says Taylor. "I ended up staying in my room most of the time but it was still wonderful to just be there. If I was in better health I would've loved to go on the slides, and into the pool and definitely I would've wanted to see the dolphins."
Although her prognosis doesn't look good, the teen is still hopeful that she will get better.
"I am hopeful that things can turn around and I will be better. I am still trying to live my life and do normal things but it's getting more difficult. I am really grateful what I have been able to do and I don't regret much," says Taylor. "I am really looking at the bright side of it and being as positive as I can. After all, it's not everyday you get to go to Atlantis for free or eat great food at restaurants! And since my treatments stopped my hair is growing back again."

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