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Hope for Kevin: home nursing and physiotherapy costs
0% complete
£3,572 raised of £5K
59 donations
A Father’s Fight, A Family’s Hope
My name is Kerrin Gilbert, and I live in the UK. My dad, Kevin Barker, lives in Johannesburg, South Africa. For the past 25 years, he has faced one health battle after another, and now the time has come for me to ask for help on his behalf.
My Dad’s Journey
If you can imagine it, my dad has been through it:
- 2002 – A devastating heart attack at just 33, leaving him with only 9% heart functionality.
- 2003 – A life-saving heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital, the very same hospital where the world’s first transplant was performed. (Ironically, Dad was born in 1967, the same year of that first successful transplant).
- 2016 – Diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease at just 49.
- 2022 – Underwent surgery for basal cell carcinoma (cancer of the ear), which resulted in permanent hearing loss after part of his ear was removed.
- 2022 & 2024 – Received two stents to support his weakened heart.
- 2024 – Suffered a brain hemorrhage after falling down a flight of stairs while visiting the UK for the first time to meet his granddaughter. He spent two weeks in hospital instead of enjoying the family trip he had waited so long for.
- 2025 – Diagnosed with Stage 4 skin cancer, enduring six weeks of daily radiation therapy that left his body even more fragile.
- July 2025 – Struck down by severe shingles across his face, leaving him unable to talk or walk and since then suffers with severe headaches resulting from nerve damage.
Where We Are Now
Through immense strength and determination, Dad has made progress. After seven long weeks (four in hospital and three in in-patient rehabilitation), he is walking again (mostly with a walker) and able to speak (but often needs prompting). But he is not the same. He suffers with debilitating headaches from facial nerve damage. His memory and independence are deeply affected, and there is no certainty that he will ever be self-sustainable again.
He now needs daily nursing care, physiotherapy, and ongoing support — none of which are covered by medical aid. This has left our family with an impossible financial burden.
My mom, who has been his rock through every trial, cannot retire and must work daily just to keep them going. She cannot provide this level of care on her own.
Why I’m Asking for Help
I want my dad to have dignity, comfort, and the best care possible after everything he has survived. But I cannot do this alone. With no recovery date in site, my goal is to raise £5,000 which will provide financial relief and cover his home care costs for the next 12 months (monthly nursing fee is approx. £430 per month (ZAR10,000)).
Your support will go directly towards:
- Nursing care so my dad is safe each day
- Physiotherapy to help him regain strength
- Medical costs that are not covered by insurance
How You Can Help
- Donate – No matter the amount, every bit helps lighten this burden.
- Share – Please spread this campaign far and wide so others can join us in helping.
- Pray & Support – If you cannot give, your prayers and encouragement mean everything to us
My dad has given every ounce of strength to keep fighting. Now, I’m asking for help to give something back: the dignity, comfort, and care he so deeply deserves.
With love and gratitude,
Kerrin Gilbert & the Barker Family
Organizer
