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Help Jacob Smile Again!

Help Jacob Smile Again!



“Every day that passes, the tumor grows larger and larger” - Princess Beneby


Jacob Beneby is 46 years old and lives with our 4 children and myself in the Bahamas. When he was 11 years old, he complained about having toothaches and pain in his left jaw. His family took him to Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) to see a dentist and they decided to extract the two teeth Jacob had been feeling pain in.


Months later, he experienced pain and swelling in the area where they had extracted the two teeth. The aching became so bad, that he was taken back to the doctor at PMH. That was when they found a boil the size of a penny.


They started treatment (painkillers, etc), and the pain lessened. A few months later, the boil started to grow rapidly. The boil grew from the size of a penny to the size of a quarter!


Jacob was taken back to the hospital (PMH) where an X-ray, scan, and bloodwork were done. After analyzing the results, the doctor diagnosed him with a fast-growing tumor in his left jaw.


On August 9th,1986, at only 12 years old, Jacob had his first surgery to remove the tumor. This surgery appeared to be a success. For the 3 months after his procedure, Jacob was finally able to function normally and did not feel pain. Unfortunately, 7 months after the surgery, the pain and swelling came back with a vengeance. This time, the tumor grew at an unprecedented pace.


Jacob found himself going back and forth to the hospital to seek help. The tumor continued to grow rapidly and his way of living began to change. The swelling and pain were constant, it was difficult to eat normally, and he could not function like other children. The situation greatly affected his self-esteem, and children bullied him constantly due to the visible deformity on his face.


The financial burden and stress placed on his family continued to increase over time and its effects could be seen and felt.


Between the ages of 12-22, several scans, antibiotic treatments, and pain killers had to be given in an effort to keep Jacobs’s pain under control, but the tumor continued to grow despite all efforts.


At the age of 22, the tumor had reached the size of a golfball. Jacob’s face became quite swollen around the tumor. On March 14th, 1996 he had his 2nd surgery in the hopes that the doctors could finally get rid of the pain and tumor once and for all. This surgery was performed at PMH. The doctors removed the tumor and 6 more of the teeth in his lower jaw in an attempt to stop the tumor from spreading again.


This surgery was quite costly. The mental and physical effects the tumor had had on his life were very great and Jacob had high hopes that the doctors could finally stop the tumor from coming back.


One year after his second surgery, at the age of 23, he had another reoccurrence of the tumor. This time, the tumor grew to the size of a tennis ball. The entire left and front of his face became covered by the mass. 


On Sept. 10th, 1997 Jacob had his 3rd surgery. The surgeon would not only attempt to remove the tumor but would take out all but 2 teeth in his lower jaw. 


Despite this third surgery, Jacob continued to feel pain, and once again, was in and out of the hospital seeking relief.


At the age of 34, there was another re-occurrence of the tumor. The doctors at PMH said that they could no longer do anything else for Jacob as they had exhausted all options. They said the tumor was simply growing too fast. They gave him referrals to seek the help of other doctors.



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We are now seeking the help of family, friends, and anyone who can find it in their heart to help
us. The situation has escalated to the worst it has ever been. We don’t have insurance and the
deformity on my husband’s face keeps him in constant pain and suffering and he has trouble
swallowing.

We have consulted with Dr. Roland Hernandez who is chief of the Department of Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgery at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale and he is
recommending jaw replacement in order to fully get rid of this tumor. The recommended
treatment would involve 3 surgeries:

1. Dr. Roland Hernandez will remove the jaw and immediately reconstruct it with a custom
Titanium reconstruction plate also donated by Stryker Corporation. This plate will resuspend the
muscles of the tongue and his airway, while simultaneously give him a normal appearance.

2. Once healed from his first surgery, definitive reconstructive surgery will occur harvesting
bones from other parts of Jacob’s body to reconstruct his face.

3. The last phase will occur after Jacob has fully healed from his reconstructive surgery. Dental
surgery will take place where dental implants are inserted into the new jawbone and this along
with a fixed denture will finally help Jabob achieve his dream of chewing food and having a
smile again.

Dr. Roland Hernandez and Memorial Regional Hospital are donating their time, staff, surgeons,
and hospital facility to help Jacob. We are in the U.S. and need money for Jacob’s stay and
medications.

We need these funds to come in as soon as possible. The tumor continues to grow daily and
the pain and suffering continue to escalate. As soon as we reach our goal, Jacob can begin
surgery.

Our children are 8, 10, 15, and 19 years old. We are in Florida right now consulting with the
surgeon and every day our children ask us when mommy and daddy are coming home. Please
help our family give Jacob a chance at a normal and healthy life. We miss our children dearly
and are in dire need of your help.

As I always say, “never lose hope”, and it is our sincere wish that with your aid, we can realize
this miracle. Every day the tumor is growing, and time is of the essence. Please help us by
donating to this GoFundMe today.

Donate

Donations 

  • CLIFTON H Rodriquez
    • $25 
    • 3 yrs
  • Robert Sawyer
    • $40 
    • 3 yrs
  • Sharon Dames
    • $110 
    • 3 yrs
  • JPaul Tissieres
    • $500 
    • 3 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $20 
    • 3 yrs
Donate

Organizer and beneficiary

Princess Bullard Beneby
Organizer
United States
Angela Neely
Beneficiary

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