Keep Fatima Smiling as She Beats Cancer Again

Hello everyone, my name is Gracia and I am here on behalf of my fiancé and his sister in order to raise funds for their mother's cancer treatment. Short story, my future mother-in-law was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer two months ago. Economically, Lebanon is destroyed and people are left to take care of themselves even while going through the hardest times in their lives. We need to raise about 24,500 USD to pay for her chemo medication out of pocket. Below you will find a detailed description of their situation in Arabic and English if you would like to understand the full scope of their barriers to treatment. Thank you in advance for your compassion and generosity.

For the Arabic version please click here

We are writing to you on behalf of our mother, Fatima Akl, 66 years old, cancer survivor, who resides in Lebanon.

Our mother was diagnosed with stage III Breast Cancer on the left side of her body. It has spread to the underarm lymph nodes.

After diagnosing her condition, Fatima's doctor, Professor Marwan Ghosn, decided to treat her in 4 stages.

TREATMENT

Stage I: 12 chemotherapy sessions at a rate of one session per week for 3 months.

Stage II: Surgery to remove the tumor.

Stage III: Targeted therapy sessions at a rate of one session every 21 days for a full year.

Stage IV: Radiotherapy sessions.

We have faced many challenges to get her treatment started since her diagnosis.

On 12 September, we handed over Fatima’s treatment file to the administration of Hotel Dieu Hospital in Beirut. She was placed on the waiting list for two weeks just to be denied access to treatment in the end.

On 26 September, we went to Bahman Hospital and presented the file to another specialist doctor, Dr. Mouin Fouani, who decided on the same diagnosis and protocol as Prof. Marwan Ghosn.

On 28 September, the Bahman Hospital administration agreed to carry out the necessary treatment without delay, with the requirement that we have to pay the full costs of drugs directly from the hospital, in cash and in USD.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health, which is meant to be the distributor of medication in the country, is failing its citizens. The ministry has established a platform geared to support cancer patients called “Aman”. However, due to Lebanon's economic crisis, rampant corruption, and accumulation of billions of dollars in prior debt, international donors refrain from exporting medication and funds to Lebanon. This leaves little to no support for those going through cancer treatment through the government.

In addition, the process can take between 1.5-2 years to actually receive treatment. It includes administrative routines, wait times, obstruction, and favoritism. This often leads patients to be at risk of dying due to the ministry's unreliability with providing drugs or refusal to supply them. Especially in the current circumstances where state institutions are experiencing strikes, mismanagement, and corruption.

Therefore, we must urgently start the chemotherapy which requires purchasing the following drugs for her sessions:

COST OF MEDICATION

Herceptin 440

Price: 1860 USD, number of doses is 4, total: 7440 USD

Perjeta 420

Price: 3086 USD, number of doses is 4, total: 12344 USD

Carboplatin 200

Price: 90 USD, number of doses is 12, total: 1080 USD

Taxol 130

Price: 300 USD, number of doses is 12, total: 3600 USD

Overall total: 24,464 USD

We now have 15 days to complete the required administrative transactions and buy the drugs. It is still unclear whether the drugs will be provided by the Ministry of Health or not. Therefore we are trying to raise the amount that would be required to buy the drugs out of pocket directly from Bahman Hospital to avoid obstruction or postponement in the therapeutic process.

We don't have that money. We are just like everyone else in this world, trying to get by after years of challenges brought on to us by our deteriorating situation in Lebanon.

It is essential to ensure our mother’s treatment is secured. We cannot depend on the Ministry of Health nor the Lebanese government, which is why we need the help of collective individuals like you.

The longer we postpone treatment, the risk increases and becomes more urgent to start chemotherapy sessions and to move on to other therapeutic stages. Our mother’s physical and psychological condition cannot wait any longer. We cannot reach a stage where cancer has spread too far and she may not be able to avoid the threat to her life.

That's why we are sharing our mother's story with you, hoping to get your support, however much you are willing to share. We are hoping to get your support in covering the costs of our mother’s treatment because we are unable to achieve this alone.

Stay safe and thanks to everyone who will support us and make the journey safer and easier!

Best,

Marwa and Mazen Olleik