Help Stanley Beat Cancer!

Hi, my name is Neal Levy and I am raising funds to support my dear friend, Stanley Obinna Oguike. I met Stanley eleven years ago when he was responsible for maintenance and upkeep of Ginat Dvorah, the small park in Tel Aviv that is adjacent to the building where I lived at the time. Each day I would take out my dog to the park before work and Stanley and I would greet each other with a smile and a "Good Morning." Those smiles and nods eventually evolved into conversations and after about a month I invited him to lunch and heard his story.

Stanley, who was only 22 years old, arrived to Israel from Nigeria in 2012 as an asylum seeker. He fled Nigeria to escape Boko Haram terrorists who had threatened him and his family. Since relocating to Tel Aviv he has worked for subcontractors who maintain the city's parks and gardens.

Now, 12 years later, his life is once again threatened.

In December Stanley was diagnosed with lung cancer. By the time he was diagnosed, the cancer had spread to his brain and he was hospitalized for several weeks at Ichilov Hospital. It was then that he learned that his employers didn't pay the medical insurance premiums that are required by law. Stanley found himself hospitalized with no medical insurance.

Both the subcontractors and the Tel Aviv municipality refuse to take responsibility and the case is being handled by Kav LaOved - Workers Hotline, a leading advocate for workers' rights in Israel. However, they and other experts have advised that years will pass before Stanley's case will be resolved - years that he may not have.

Initially, Stanley was able to receive radiation therapy treatment as part of a clinical trial at the hospital. Afterward he was released and at home his situation deteriorated. In the meantime, the medical bills began piling up.

Just as Stanley and I had continued to be friends ever since that first "good morning" eleven years ago, Stanley made lasting friendships among the residents of the neighborhoods wherever he worked -- most recently at Dubnov Park. Friends there got together and established a Paybox crowdfunding account through which approximately 25,000 shekels (approximately $7,000) have been raised in support of Stanley. Those funds have been used to purchase medications and equipment he needed for his apartment, to pay for transportation to and from hospitals and clinics for tests and treatment and for the tests and treatments themselves. In addition, Stanley has not received his salary since he got sick in December and a portion of the funds helped Stanley pay rent and bills.

In mid-January we learned that Stanley was eligible to undergo a molecular test that would determine if his cancer can be treated by biological therapy, a treatment that targets cancer cells with less "collateral damage" and less side effects. The test itself costs hundreds of thousands of shekels to perform and again Stanley was lucky to be part of a clinical trial at the hospital. Two weeks passed before we received the results and during that time Stanley's health continued to deteriorate. He lost a lot of weight, became weak and was unable to walk. Doctors decided to intervene and not wait for the results and during those two weeks he received one session of chemotherapy.

The results of the molecular test indicated that indeed Stanley is a match for the biological therapy, which was wonderful news! Instead of chemo with all of its side effects, Stanley only needs to take one pill a day. However, the cost of the medication, Tagrisso, is 25,000 shekels (approximately $7,000) per month. Without insurance Stanley had no idea where he could secure funding for his treatment.

We consulted several nonprofits that support foreign workers and other marginal sectors of Israeli society and learned about Haverim Le'Refuah, an Israeli nonprofit that collects medications and medical equipment from the homes of patients who have passed away and donates them to those without insurance. Stanley has received six months of Tagrisso from them and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff and volunteers at Haverim Le'Refuah for their support and to salute them for the important work they are doing. However, we do not know if how long they will be able to donate the medication and a day may come when they will run out of their supply.

Stanley's situation improved immediately after he began the biological therapy. At the beginning of March, we learned that there are no signs of the brain lesions that were visible a few weeks earlier! He is getting stronger every day and he looks and feels much better. His outlook is positive, and he is confident he will beat the cancer.

Together with a group of friends who have accompanied Stanley through the ups and downs of this journey, we decided that now is the time to launch a second fundraising campaign to support Stanley as he continues to improve and to be there for him in the long term. In addition, we want to continue to help Stanley pay his rent, utility bills and groceries while he recuperates at home and is unable to work. Unfortunately, the Paybox account could not facilitate donations from abroad, so this next round of fundraising will be through this GoFundMe account.

Gifts at any level will be greatly appreciated. Each and every gift will make a difference and will have a genuine impact on Stanley's road to recovery. As noted above, the funds raised will be used to pay for the following:

All expenses are backed up with receipts and detailed accounting.

In addition to Haverim Le'Refuah, we want to also express our gratitude and salute the dedicated staff at the many nonprofits we have been working with, including Kav LaOved - Worker's Hotline, Physicians for Human Rights (PFHR), and Mesila. We also want to thank the medical staff at Ichilov Hospital and especially his oncologist, Dr. Renana Barak, who secured the clinical trials and who continues to be there for Stanley as he moves forward.

You can learn more about Stanley's case from the following:

** The January 31st issue of The Marker (in Hebrew): https://www.themarker.com/news/health/2024-01-31/ty-article-magazine/.premium/0000018d-5af8-d6b0-adcd-7efa76d80000?utm_source=pocket_saves

** The August 15th issue of Ha'aretz (in Hebrew):

https://www.haaretz.co.il/opinions/2024-08-15/ty-a

We will post English translations of these articles in future updates.

** Take a listen to this radio program about Stanley that was broadcast on Galei Zahal on February 6 (in Hebrew): https://omny.fm/shows/editcontent/18098be6-7cfe-4ccb-a3b1-b10e00e87ed2

We thank you in advance for your support.