Roses are Forever - Help Rosemary on her Health Journey

Hello, my name is Michelle, and I am reaching out to you from Perth, Australia. I have started this GoFundMe in support of my beautiful stepmom, Rosemary, who has received very scary news regarding her health, and just like that, the road ahead looks like Everest.

A few weeks ago, after enduring puzzling symptoms that worsened over time, she and my dad sought help from their GP, leading to urgent referrals to a neurologist. Sadly, the neurologist (Dr Naidoo) shared the same concerns as her GP (Dr Rokerbrand), suspecting Bulbar onset ALS, which is a form of MND. Although there is a myriad of other symptoms the most troubling symptoms were the slurred speech and the fact that she was struggling to swallow her food, which results in her choking. Due to the fact that my parents do not have private hospital cover, Dr Naidoo has referred them to Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, which a government hospital located in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Last week Wednesday (27 November 2024) my stepmom and dad met with Dr Visagie at Baragwanath Hospital, after a long 6.5hours waiting in line. Dr Visagie, suggested that my step mom be admitted to the government hospital for a minimum of two weeks to start a long list of testing, explaining to us that this can take time, because being a Government hospital. Priority cases on a day-to-day basis will be attended to first and therefor they can not give us exact days she will have testing done. Dr Visagie too is worried about the loss of muscle strength in my stepmom’s face, swallowing and speech impairment. He suggested she also start with speech therapy as well as the possibility of a PEG tube to assist with feeding. He will run a few scans to rule out any other possibilities like tumors or other neuro diseases.

My sister and myself have taken it upon ourselves to help raise funds to assist our parents just a little while they/we face this giant mountain ahead…. Together!!

The financial strain on our parents is the last thing I want them to worry about, with them relying solely on one income and no medical aid, forcing them to navigate the government healthcare system for a lot of treatments as privately the bills will just keep coming. We want to alleviate some of this stress for them by raising funds that will be sent directly to South Africa to cover costs as they arise.

Ideally, we would like them to get some testing done privately, to help alleviate the stress on the government hospital, but also to help get a clinical diagnosis and treatment/therapy plan sooner. From this fundraiser we would like to allocate around R25 000 – R30 000 for the following tests which we can do privately: MRI’s (Brain & C Spine), a battery of blood tests, NCP Testing and more. – This is equal to $2100-$2500 AUD.

In addition, we would like to ease other stresses in times like this, but helping them not worry about rent, food, electricity or fuel monies for driving up and down to the hospital which is 62km on way. Should our dad not be able to attend work for a extended period to support and be with his wife when she needs him most, this will be of great help so they can focus on each other, holding hands while climbing Everest. Here we would like to raise enough to help them for at least 2 months. About R25 000 = $2100 will be able to cover their monthly expenses.

When she gets her PEG - PEG Feeding – The feeds (formula) and (bags/tubes/cleaning) does accumulate costs very quickly and adds up to R18 000 monthly, which will be equal to $1500. Currently we are not sure what Baragwanath will supply her with, but we would like to help as much as we can here as this will be ongoing.

She will receive speech therapy as well as other therapies to help with any weaknesses she may face in the future.

I kindly ask for your support—friends, relatives, colleagues, and even kind strangers—to help me raise funds that can provide some relief to my parents as they navigate this daunting road ahead. Every small contribution counts and can go a long way in helping Rose focus on her recovery without the burden of financial concerns. Together, we can help her enjoy her moments with joy and dignity; after all, as we believe, "Roses last forever." Thank you for considering my plea. Your kindness and generosity are genuinely appreciated.