Family says community is forcing out girl with cancer

TAMPA (FOX 13) - A family in south Florida is fighting a senior living community after they say it’s forcing a girl with cancer to move out.

Amani Norton is eight years old, and suffers from stomach cancer. She, her siblings and her mom moved into a Punta Gorda neighborhood with her grandmother, Jan Malaspino, after her diagnosis.

The move was meant to help the family since Amani’s mother, Jaimi, is out of work and caring for her daughter as she undergoes chemotherapy.

But when the community management found out people under the age of 55 were living there, Grandma Jan says they gave her seven days to move the family out, or else she’d have to leave in 30 days.

"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’," Jan said.

Now, some neighbors are saying the community leaders need to make a special exception.

"This is a special circumstance and doesn't bother me. What's that poor little girl doing? Trying to live," said one neighbor.

"I think it's a sad thing. I think they should amend the contract and let her stay there," said another. “It's a sad thing and we've got to have a heart today.  And a child needs grownups to take care of them.”

Jan says she’s tried working something out with the office, but so far, has had no luck.

"I tried to call back and say, ‘If I can get them in the shelter, they'll be here during the day’," said Jan. "And her office staff and her- they just kept hanging up on me."

In the meantime, the family has set up an online funding page to raise money for Amani's care. It's raised about $800 of the family’s $5,000 goal.