The picture accompanying the GoFundMe account set up for renowned public relations and business communicator Ealane Livingston-Smith showing her frail frame lying in a hospital bed with an oxygen mask over her face, starkly depicts how gravely ill she is.

And her family  is desperate to save her Iife.

Livingston-Smith is ailing from craniopharyngioma, a rare, benign (non-cancerous) brain  tumour of the central nervous system and is in need of urgent brain surgery overseas – an expense which is beyond the reach of her family.

In a bid to raise the required funds, her children – Naila and Ikem Smith – have launched a GoFundMe account titled “Fund Ealane’s Life-saving Surgery”. The fund has so far raised just US$21,637 of US$200,000 from 213 donations.

Livingston-Smith’s husband, Patrick Smith, explained in the write up on the GoFundMe page that  his wife has been hospitalised at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) for at least a month now.

Ealane Livingston-Smith at work

“To save her life, she needs specialised neurosurgery called skull base surgery. This type of surgery is not available in Jamaica. Dr Robert Starke at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, USA has decided to take her case after examining her MRI [magnetic resonance imaging],” he said.

He noted that Dr Starke will work with a team of specialists either at the University of Miami Skull Base Centre or Jackson Memorial Skull Base Centre.

“We have not received a quote for the doctors’ fee yet but the hospital fee is US$77,410 and they require this money up front – 24 to 48 hours before admission. I think the fee for the team of doctors will be a similar amount if not more,” he said.

In addition, he noted that Livingston-Smith needs an air ambulance costing at least US$25,000 to take her to Jackson Memorial, which is not covered by insurance.

“Ealane has health insurance with Sagicor but they will not pay up front – only by way of reimbursement, and we cannot find this money up front. Therefore, I am appealing for help so that Ealane gets a fighting chance to live,” Smith said.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit multi-specialty academic medical centre that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education, craniopharyngioma develops near the pituitary gland. It is a slow-growing tumour that can affect the cranial nerves, which are responsible for vision, and the endocrine system, which is responsible for the hormonal function of the body.

A University of the West Indies (UWI) graduate, Livingston-Smith is known for her expertise  in conceptualising, developing and managing public relations marketing and community development programmes for clients from the public, private and non-governmental sectors of Jamaica.

Among her notable stints as a communication professional was her 12-year tenure as  communication specialist at General Alumina Jamaica, Jamalco from May 2005 to February 2018. She also served as public relations consultant, Communicators Group Limited, for eight years, from April 1995 to November 2003.

Livingston-Smith was also corporate public relations officer at the National Water Commission, from 1988 to 1993. She worked with the Jamaica Information Service between 1980 and 1988 serving as senior editor in the radio department, then news editor in the television department.

She also served for 10 years as chairperson for The Samaritan Centre, from January 1999 to December 2008. This is a community outreach project serving children, youth and unemployed adults in downtown Kingston.

Livingston-Smith lectured part-time in public relations at UWI, Mona, from 1999 to 2005; and assistant public relations officer there from 2003 to 2004.

People willing to donate towards Livingston-Smith’s life-saving surgery may  do so at: https://gofund.me/6702e839, the family said.