May needs YOUR HELP to defeat Lymphoma

May is a spirited 31-year-old Thai woman who through years of hard work has forged a promising life and career in the international community. She’s a loving daughter, a supportive sister of three siblings, and a dear friend of many amazing people. May is a Thai, German and English speaker, and a dedicated employee of an international organization in her home city of Bangkok. She hungers for travel and loves to sing Karaoke. But May, above all, is a caregiver for her family and friends. An emotional rock. A real life super woman to all around her.

In January 2015, at the age of 28,  May’s fate took a life-changing turn. Her professional growth and deep desire for a family life was halted by a tragic diagnosis of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a disease that requires a long and tumultuous bout with chemotherapy. Sleepless nights, vomiting, chronic anxiety, hair loss and a crushed spirit were the result – and to make matters worse, May was diagnosed with a relapse 10 months after her initial treatment.

The treatment for her relapse was yet another round of chemotherapy, this one far stronger than the last. This nearly unbearable treatment was followed by a bone marrow transplant in March 2017 which completely weakened her immune system. Despite this, May continued to fight and by the help of her loyal friends, she was able to collect donations to support the high-cost treatment. Unfortunately however, another piercing blow followed… Three months after the transplant, May suffered her second relapse in two years. In December 2017, May would go through her toughest stretch. An even stronger chemotherapy was required and during each cycle she had to stay at the hospital for at least one month. Thirty days or more of seeing nothing but the four walls around her hospital bed.

Although the chemotherapy was at its strongest, the result shockingly didn’t look well. The cancer cells were getting more aggressive; the chance for a remission seemed very low at that time. Until July 2018, doctors decided to use targeted therapy and after five cycles, the response looked much better. It was the first piece of good news May had heard in over two years. The cancer cells weren’t spreading anymore, things were finally improving. However, after so many strong chemotherapy cycles, a bone marrow transplant, and the side effects of the targeted therapy, May‘s immune system became very weak and she faced a new complication in October 2018. May was diagnosed with a CMV virus infection. The targeted therapy had to be put on hold and May had to receive CMV treatment at the hospital for 3 months from October to December 2018.

Presently, the virus is under control due May’s daily medicine intake. In order to continue the targeted therapy, she needs to take a medicine called Valganciclovir to suppress the CMV as long as the targeted therapy continues over the next 12 months – as well as for another year afterwards. This medicine is very expensive and the selling price in her home country of Thailand is around $40 USD (53 CAD)/tablet. It’s an imported medicine and to date, no generic versions are available for purchase in Thailand. May needs to take 4 Valganciclovir tablets per day in the first year and 2 tablets per day in the second year. The total cost is around $96,000 USD (128,000 CAD), which she cannot afford. Her health insurance won´t cover the cost due to its exceeding the premium. And due to its high price, the CMV medicine is also not covered by the Thai national healthcare system.

May is struggling to afford the whole treatment on her own, but her desire to keep fighting is stronger than ever. She really wants to continue the targeted therapy and wishes to finally be in complete remission after many years of battling cancer. Without the virus suppression medicine, May’s cancer treatment cannot proceed, thus dramatically diminishing her chance to live. Her hard-earned and bright future is in peril.

Please help May raise the funds needed to support her treatment. Don’t let this hostile and unfair circumstance rob this beautiful woman, daughter, sister and friend of her life. Help to save May today by donating anything you can – her life and future depends on it. Your help is deeply appreciated.

*** For people living in Thailand, or people who cannot donate to this website, you can also transfer money to May's bank account directly.*** 

Account Name: Hathaichanok Boonpitchayapa
Bank Name: Krung Thai Bank
Bank Branch: Q House Lumpini
Account Number 492-0-03102-5  
Swift Code: KRTHTHBK