By Rorisang Modiba
- Nara Smith, a South African-born social media star, said her daughter Whimsy Lou, two, was diagnosed with cancer last year.
- Doctors found the cancer had already spread and Whimsy needed immediate chemotherapy, Smith said in a video posted 1 July.
South African-born social media star Nara Smith says her two-year-old daughter Whimsy Lou was diagnosed with cancer after doctors found it had already spread.
Smith shared the news in an Instagram video posted on 1 July. She said she and her husband, model Lucky Blue Smith, first noticed something unusual on Whimsy late last year and took her to the emergency room.
Doctors there were not sure what they were looking at. The family then saw their paediatrician, who went quiet during the examination.
“I just remember him going really quiet and calm, and my heart dropped in that moment,” Smith said.
“The first thing that I felt was, she has cancer.”
Whimsy went through X-rays, ultrasounds and a biopsy. Doctors then confirmed she had cancer and told the family it had already spread, meaning she needed to start chemotherapy immediately.
Smith did not say what type of cancer her daughter has. She said the months since have meant fewer posts online, as she balanced hospital visits and Whimsy’s treatment with caring for her other children and recovering from a recent birth.
She said talking to other parents in hospital, along with support from online forums, helped her feel less alone since the diagnosis.
Smith thanked the medical staff who treated her daughter.
“Thankful for each and every nurse and doctor along our journey who helped us get through and out the other end,” she said.
Smith was born in Bloemfontein before moving to Germany and later becoming a model. She and Lucky Blue Smith are known online for videos about family life and home cooking.
She said she wanted to share her family’s story to encourage other parents to trust their instincts if they feel something is wrong with their child.
Pictured above: Nara Smith.
Image source: Instagram
