IF someone had told Ulex Semple that her jolly 16-year-old daughter, Adaicia Semple, would today be curled up in pain battling with a terminal illness, she would not have believed them.

However, this is the reality for this mother as her daughter’s condition has worsened since her lupus diagnosis in 2020 and kidney failure diagnosis in 2021.

Lupus is a disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs (autoimmune disease). Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems, including your joints, skin, kidneys and other vital organs.

The teen was set to have a kidney transplant in January of this year; however, this has since been delayed and has seen the teen’s condition worsening.

Ulex, during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday, said that funds were raised through fund-raisers and from generous donors to offset the cost of a cross-match test with a donor so the teen can go forward with the transplant surgery. The teen’s father will be donating one of his kidneys.

Adaicia had gotten a blood transfusion a few months back and according to the worried mother, the surgery has been delayed since the cross-matching test is required to ensure the teen’s blood is fully compatible with the donor’s. Unfortunately, the blood transfusion that was recently done can alter the results.

Adaicia, who was a star athlete and a bright student with big plans in mind, is now unable to do much as her illness is now attacking her bones.

“She’s not doing well at all; her condition is worse, she can barely do anything on her own,” the teen’s mother said adding: “She’s on dialysis and it’s hard to get transportation. Everywhere she has to go we have to catch taxi. She can’t walk too far; she can barely sit. I had to buy a cushion for her to sit when she has to go for dialysis.”

Ulex said that it pains her greatly to see her daughter suffering from such agonizing pain. However, she is remaining optimistic as the teen is scheduled to meet with her doctors in the coming days.

The woman noted that she has been praying and will continue to pray and is anticipating some good news as to how soon the teen will be able to get the transplant and other treatments for her lupus.

The woman described her daughter as a humble and bright child, who always completes a task given to her.