8-year-old with cancer faces eviction from senior living facility

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. – An 8-year-old girl with cancer is being forced to find a new home because she is staying with her grandmother in a 55-and-over community.

Amani Norton was diagnosed with a rare stomach cancer in November. After two surgeries, doctors found three additional tumors and suggested the 8-year-old undergo 16 weeks of chemotherapy.

Amani Norton’s mother, Jaimi Norton, said she has been unable to work as she cares for her ailing daughter and moved into Windmill Village where Amani’s grandmother stays.

“I have no income so we’re just staying here while she was just sick because it’s easier,” Norton said.

But concern about Amani’s health has been interrupted by fear of losing a place to live. Amani’s grandmother, Jan Malaspino, was given a seven-day notice to get her sick granddaughter off the premises or face eviction. Amani and her mother do not meet the age requirements at Windmill Village.

“The office said ‘I hear your children, grandchildren, are staying with you.’ And I said ‘Yes, ’cause she has cancer’ and they said ‘Well, that don’t matter. She’s got to get out,'” Malaspino said.

Management at Windmill Village has failed to return calls or requests for comment.

Amani’s family has set up an account on GofundMe to help pay for her medical expenses. To help her visit https://www.gofundme.com/amanisfight.