Urgent help needed for my dad’s cancer
Dear community all around the globe, I hope you are doing your best in this strange time we are going through at this moment. My husband and I are originally from South Africa and made the UK our home for 18 years. During the lockdown, we received news of my dad’s stage 2 melanoma cancer, both our patents live in South Africa and they are facing border restrictions and their own system of lockdown during COVID. I miss my parents dearly and have not seen them since 2016 when I was in the hospital for a week myself, they flew over to help me out as I could not move much for 2 weeks. We are going through extreme ups and downs with emotions as he had another visit to the oncologist yesterday and the cancer nearing stage 4 due to delay, the melanoma is very aggressive. I spoke to him yesterday and he got so upset as he said he would like to see us again soon and said the Dr has confirmed that the best treatment to give him a fighting chance is immune therapy, unfortunately, we also received the news that his current private medical provider only fund 6 sessions of chemo and chemo and radiation will not be a good option due to him being severely underweight with chronic Rheumatoid he had since 1994. They offered experimental cancer drugs but the Rheumatoid made this option impossible as a candidate. I never felt so numb and upset and then I think about how lucky and fortunate we are with the NHS and all the lovely, charitable people who raise awareness about cancer and doing so much in the UK to supports the fight against cancer. I am afraid to say in South Africa where they live there is no support and system in place to help with cancer treatments or palative care unless you can afford it privately , the system is very American based and public hospitals are a death sentence. I am hoping to raise cash for 6 immunotherapy sessions as quick as I can and rally members of my family here in the UK and South Africa to get at least 3 sessions booked in as soon as we can. One session immune therapy currently at R100,000 that is equivalent to £4500 at the moment. I never asked for so much in my life before but can you please help out with what you can and even spreading the word would be much appreciated. I hope I can see my parents soon and help with the support they needed atthis anxious time.
Take care and keep safe people.
Charlene de Waal
