SAN ANTONIO – A 5-year-old girl in San Antonio that is battling cancer will receive her very own playground next week, free of charge, according to B.I.G. Love Cancer Care and Rainbow Play Systems.
Andrea Webb loves to go to the park, climb, swing and slide; however, going to parks and other public places poses a risk to her central nervous system due to her cancer diagnosis, according to B.I.G. Love Cancer Care officials. With COVID-19, she is at an even greater risk.
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Andrea will receive her surprise playground at 9 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 26, at her home.
The playground will give Andrea a sense of normalcy and will allow her to play safely at her own home, according to B.I.G. Love Cancer Care.
“We work tirelessly 52 weeks of the year to serve the youngest and sickest in our communities,” Jessica Phillips, founder and Executive Director of B.I.G. Love Cancer Care, said in a statement. “Everyone’s lives and livelihoods have been impacted by this situation, but our cancer children have been completely isolated, losing the little bit of normalcy they had. We are so grateful for Rainbow Play Systems for this generous donation so that Andrea can continue to play without the additional risks cancer patients face during this unprecedented time.”
According to B.I.G. Love Cancer Care, Andrea is battling anaplastic ependymoma, a type of cancer that causes a tumor to form when cells in the central nervous system (including the brain and spinal cord) begin to multiply rapidly.
Andrea was first diagnosed with cancer when she was just two-years-old, according to the cancer care organization. She had surgery to remove a tumor on her cerebellum, followed by almost two years of chemotherapy and radiation.
She went into remission for some time until another tumor was found on the left side of her brain, according to B.I.G. LCC.
Andrea is currently undergoing radiation as part of her treatment plan.
“We give back to the community in different ways throughout the year, but we know how difficult of a time this must be for this family, " Eddie Christopher with Rainbow Play Systems, said in a statement. “It has been a blessing during this pandemic to be able to give to someone so special.”
B.I.G. LCC is one of the largest, service-based childhood cancer non-profits in Texas, and it offers over 20 programs at six different Texas hospitals, including Methodist Children’s Hospital in San Antonio.
To learn more about the organization, click here.