Who:

Keshinae McFarlane, patient
Nicole Brown, Keshinae’s mother
Antonello Podda, MD, pediatric oncologist at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

What:

Pediatric oncologists at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Holtz Children’s Hospital at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center have successfully treated a three-year-old cancer patient, giving her family reason for a special celebration just before Thanksgiving.

When Nicole Brown noticed that her baby Keshinae McFarlane had a bump on the left side of her abdomen and a high fever, she immediately rushed her to a hospital near their home in Jamaica. Soon after, she received devastating news: Keshinae, just a few months shy of her second birthday, had liver cancer.

Shortly after the diagnosis, Keshinae and her mother then traveled to Miami for treatment at Holtz Children’s Hospital. A biopsy confirmed she had hepatoblastoma – a rare type of primary liver cancer that usually affects young children.

At first, doctors from Sylvester, part of UHealth – the University of Miami Health System, thought Keshinae would need a liver transplant, but after 15 surgeries her liver has been able to regenerate. Keshinae also underwent numerous rounds of chemotherapy treatment.

Now, more than 14 months later, Keshinae, age 3, is in remission, and is set to leave Holtz Children’s for the first time this Friday, November 20th.

Her mother, Nicole Brown, is so grateful for all the care Keshinae received at Holtz Children’s and at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center’s pediatric oncology clinic, alex’s place. Nicole is thankful this holiday season for her daughter’s recovery, and is looking forward to spending this Thanksgiving with Keshinae and family outside of the hospital.

When:

November 20, 2015, 11:30 a.m.

Where:

Holtz Children’s Hospital
1611 N.W. 12 avenue
Miami, FL 33136

Editor’s Note:

Media will be greeted outside of Holtz Children’s Hospital at 11:15 a.m.

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Jackson Health System
1611 N.W. 12th Avenue Miami, FL 33136