Before he was even a year old, Jayvoni was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, a rare, cancerous tumor of the eyes. Retinoblastoma runs in Jayvoni’s family. His mother, Qyanna, and his grandfather were both diagnosed with the disease. “I wasn’t shocked by his diagnosis, I just knew that we needed to get him to a treatment center quickly,” said his mother, Qyanna. “We had to see three specialists who were qualified to treat Retinoblastoma, all of whom were a significant distance from our home in Bloomington, IL.” The Retinoblastoma team at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago was able to help Jayvoni and he began treatment immediately.

Jayvoni’s family knew they wanted to do whatever was possible to save Jayvoni’s vision but previous treatment expenses had drained the family’s savings. “Our finances were declining, but our resolve to get the best possible treatment for Jayvoni was still intense,” recalls Qyanna.

Given their financial position, the family had no idea how they could continue to see the doctors hundreds of miles away from their home – until they were referred to Compass to Care. Compass to Care assists Jayvoni and his family with the travel expenses, providing them the opportunity to save his eye and his life. Qyanna says of Compass to Care, “The assistance with our traveling expenses and garage parking fees has helped to relieve the major financial strain we encountered with the treatment plan Jayvoni needed. It’s a blessing to spend a little less time worrying and a little more time enjoying our beloved moments with him.”