Hello everyone!

Gosh, i dont think i have sent out a blanket email in quite a few years. But this request is not for me, but for a friend in Africa who has been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer . Yvonne Ine and her husband ( and 3 kids) were my host family when I went to Tanzania in 2015 to work in the Heri Adventist Hospital for a one month mission . They are missionaries, and she is originally from Democratic republic of Congo and her husband is from Nigeria.

If you recall from my newsletters in 2015, the health care in Tanzania is very substandard. She felt a lump in her breast November 2022, but the mammogram was negative. Knowing the health care system there, I suggested she fly to South Africa for a second opinion. How it works in South Africa is that you have to show you have money in your bank account 1) to be able to get a visa to South Africa and 2) that you can pay for your health care. The missionary system that hired them to work in Tanzania will reimburse up 75% of the bill, BUT you have to turn in receipts and THEN they reimburse.

She went to South Africa in Feb 2023, and the labwork, mammogram, MRI, Ultrasound were all negative and we were all very excited ( me, thinking it was a misdiagnosis in Tanzania, and she fervently believing that God had healed her). Unfortunately, the needle biopsy showed cancer cells so she had a lumpectomy and 14 lymph nodes removed and 4 were positive, and they recommended radiation and chemo.. The approx cost would be $18,000 for chemo and radiation ( does not included surgery, but I had wired money to her to show she had money in bank account and could at least pay for all of the testing and the surgery).

At that time, she opted to use Natural supplements and prayer and went back to Tanzania. Unbeknownst to me, the reason was the cost....imagine....here in the USA we can get the treatment and even have a payment plan for the cost, but i dont know anyone here who would opt out of it! At that time she told me she just didnt want the other treatment and was trusting God to heal her. I had no choice but to accept her decision.

.

Fast forward to this week. There is now a fixed mass and another needle biopsy diagnosis of cancer. This time around, she accepted that she will need a mastectomy as well as chemo/radiation with the faith that somehow God will provide since they are unable to afford this. Though the recommendation is to go back to South Africa, she is looking at going to India for treatment as the living expenses would be less while undergoing months of treatment.

I am hoping that I can raise the 25% that will not be covered as well as help with housing/transportation etc since that is not covered either. They are missionaries, therefore money is an obstacle. If you would like to donate ( and ANY amount is fine!!!!), I will be wiring the money within 2 weeks to her.

And, PLEASE, PLEASE, pass this on to any other friends or family that may be willing to help Yvonne or are looking for a worthwhile cause to donate to. Of course, prayers are always welcome.

Thank you!!

Steph