FIVE years ago Crystal Rhoden discovered a small bump on her neck that was later found to be neurofibroma, an earth-shattering diagnosis that has been treated with two failed surgical procedures, resulting in an altered appearance, and restricted movement in her neck, all while the mass continues to grow.

Now, the 32-year-old mother of two is appealing to doctors and medical institutions for help to find answers and to manage her condition. She is also seeking financial assistance to pursue medial treatment overseas, if possible, tearfully expressing her desire to once again live a normal life.

Her mother, Carol Davis, became emotional while recounting the family’s ordeal, revealing that a relative recently died from a similar condition — an outcome she fears for her daughter. Davis, the main provider for her daughter, has launched a YouTube channel focused on mental health, hoping to monetise it, and a GoFundMe fund-raiser (https://gofund.me/7cb27ea0f) to support her daughter’s care.

Neurofibromas are generally non-cancerous tumours that grow on nerve sheaths, often appearing as soft, skin-coloured, or fleshy bumps. While usually painless, they can cause numbness, pain, or weakness if they compress nerves.

Rhoden said, initially, she was told by medical professionals at a local hospital that the bump was a growth. She said they tried to remove it, but despite numbing the area she was in pain, so they rescheduled the procedure to remove it under anaesthesia. That procedure was successful.

However, a few months later in 2022, Rhoden said the growth reappeared — this time bigger and more painful. It was then that it was diagnosed as neurofibroma. Due to the size of the mass, she told the Jamaica Observer that doctors harvested skin from her leg to cover the area where they’d removed the growth. While the surgery was again a success, she said she was still in excruciating pain. The mass has returned.

“Without my medication, I can’t function. I can’t do anything because the pain is so unbearable. I can’t sleep. The things that I want to accomplish are on pause, and I’m not even working because of it. I was working and I had to stop working because of the pain and not going to work on time and being absent,” she told the Sunday Observer, adding that the mass and stiffness in her neck also restricts her movement.

Rhoden said her confidence has also taken a hit since the procedures altered her appearance.

“I have my kids, and there are so many things I want to do with my kids that I can’t because sometimes I don’t have the energy, and I don’t have the confidence. Sometimes I feel like I want to give up, and if it’s not for my mom encouraging me, I don’t know where I would be. I have some people around that would encourage me, but it’s still hard. I want a normal life. I want to be able to do the things I want to do. I want to go back to work, I want to be able to support my kids, I want to do so much,” she said.

A former sales clerk, the 32-year-old said that she quit her job last year, forgoing income she once used to take care of herself, her 10-year-old daughter, and her four-year-old son. She said she also shelved plans of enrolling in culinary and pastry school to fulfil her dream of becoming a chef.

Rhoden is grateful for her mother’s support, but said she longs to regain her independence.

“I’m asking any doctor, any facility that is better than the one I went to that can handle my situation, I would be grateful…I remember when I was a normal, bright, young female. In the blink of an eye, things can change. I’m saying this to say that things do happen and can happen to you. You don’t know what can happen tomorrow, so I’m just asking anybody out there to see things from my point of view and please offer assistance,” the young woman pleaded.

Grief-stricken following the recent death of her aunt, who also had a similar growth on her neck and was presumed to have the same medical condition, Davis further appealed for help for her daughter Rhoden.

“I don’t want to lose my daughter,” the emotional mother said.

She shared that for the past five years she has worked tirelessly to provide for her daughter, a task that has put a strain on her both mentally and physically.

“I have put so many things on hold, trying one thing and another thing because this is an ongoing situation. I may read here, or we may read [some article] to say we’re going to get some conclusion, then out of the blue, she’s having extreme pain, and she has to do radiotherapy. I have to fund that, so I cannot focus. Mentally, it’s like I’m living her life because the same pain that she’s feeling, I’m actually feeling it,” she told the Sunday Observer.

However, amid the pain, Davis said she has found a sense of purpose. She shared that she started a YouTube channel, Thrive Mentor, to document her journey and support others facing mental health struggles. Now monetised, she hopes it will generate a steady income to help care for her daughter, but noted that she still needs support to grow the channel’s viewership.

“Watching your child struggle is one of the most helpless feelings a parent can experience. There were nights filled with worry, days filled with uncertainty, and moments where the emotional weight felt overwhelming. In the middle of all of that, I realised something: Mental health isn’t something we talk about enough. The stress, the fear, the pressure of trying to stay strong for your family while you’re quietly breaking inside, it’s real,” said Davis.

“I created this channel because I know I’m not the only person going through battles like this. I wanted a place where people could talk openly about mental health, resilience, and the strength it takes to keep going when life gets hard…My hope is that through sharing our story and building a supportive online [community], the channel can not only spread awareness about mental health but also help provide some financial support to my family during this challenging time,” she said.