A Grandmother’s Fight Against Leukemia

It has been just over a week since "A Grandmother's Fight Against Leukemia" was created so we wanted to send an update.

Barbara's son Tony has been overwhelmed at the response. The campaign is a visible sign that Barbara & her family are not alone at this very challenging time.

Barbara's medical condition remains critical and time is of the essence. We are so very grateful to everyone who has contributed so far. We ask those who may not have had a chance to do so, to please consider donating now. We also ask everyone to consider additional ways you might help spread the word by sharing this page with friends by email, text or social media.

Thank you again! #AGrandmothersFight #CommunitySupport

_________________________________________________________________________________

We are reaching out with a heartfelt request for your support for Barbara Nwokoro, 63 years of age, who traveled all the way from Nigeria to Canada for the joyous occasion of meeting her grandson for the first time. Tragically, upon her arrival on September 28th, what was meant to be a time of celebration turned into a fight for her life. Barbara became seriously ill on October 7th and was rushed to Grand River Hospital, where she was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Barbara is currently in a medically induced coma, receiving chemotherapy in the intensive care unit. Her doctors have expressed that her best chance for survival is a bone marrow transplant—a procedure she cannot receive in Canada due to her non-resident status. Our goal is to stabilize her condition enough to transport her back to Nigeria, where she can continue her treatment and hope for a transplant.

Her medical expenses are mounting by the day. Despite having travel health insurance, the costs have swiftly surpassed the $50K coverage limit and are now over $150K. With each chemotherapy treatment costing $11K, and a total of 5 treatments needed, the financial burden is overwhelming.

Anthony Nwokoro (Tony), Barbara's son, is an optometrist by training from Nigeria and is currently working diligently to gain his practice equivalency in Ontario. Meanwhile, he is employed as an imaging technician at the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science. His mother's sudden and severe illness has left Tony and his wife Justina, who are without family or other forms of support in the area, facing this daunting challenge alone.

We are calling on the community's spirit of generosity to rally around Tony and Justina to aid in the treatment and safe transport of Barbara Nwokoro back to her home country for the care she desperately needs. Every donation, no matter how small, brings Barbara one step closer to her transplant and gives her a fighting chance at recovery.

Your support not only contributes to her medical expenses but also sends a powerful message of hope and community solidarity. Please consider donating and sharing this campaign to help improve Barbara's chances of survival and being a grandmother to Adriel.

With sincere gratitude,