This is something that I've been dying to share in the last few days or so, and I'm sorry it took quite awhile but I finally have the time to share this on this platform here. My mum recently shared me a link on Whatsapp telling me to spread the word if I could, to help raise funds for her friend Donna, who is currently a cancer patient and desperately needs fund for her treatments. She has used up all her insurance cover and savings and can no longer work due to her circumstances.
Up to date, she has raised almost $50k from the help of everyone who has donated, but there's still a lot more that she needs for her treatment.
In case anyone starts to think that this is a scam, I can safely assure you that I've met Donna in real life before and I visited her in the hospital just two months ago. Despite all the pain she has endured alone, she still remained cheerful and smiley and was able to crack jokes with all of us. Her positivity and strength definitely touched my heart and left me a very strong impression of her, though I met her then only for the very first time.
For those who wants to know more about her story, it's all on the link below (and it's also the same link where you can donate money if you like):
https://give.asia/story/help_donna_-running_out_of_funds_to_continue_treatment?utm_campaign=donation_success&utm_medium=email&utm_source=uww3u9i7cjk2mv1n#story
Here's just part of the story, but I thought it would perhaps be easier for all of you if I just copied what she wrote there below:
"I am Donna Lim, 37 years old at the point of writing.
I have complained of back pain for several years and GPs have been routinely giving me painkillers before one suddenly realized it might help by sending me to a specialist for a detailed check-up. The scans later showed that I have neuroendocrine tumor cancer stage 4. The news was broken to me on 19 April 2016. My world collapsed. I started making after life plans, though I am single but I have a pair of old aged parents to support. What is going to happen to them? I started to worry.
Later after countless tests and scans, I was injected with nuclear medicine in a desperate move to shrink the tumor that was growing in me, it had by then hinged to 50% of my liver. I had a major operation to remove 80% of my liver, part of my small intestines and gallbladder on 19 Dec 2106. Apart from the big monster, I had numerous small growing ones.
After the major surgery last year which cost almost Sgd300,000, I was told the cancerous tumor in me had been successfully removed but a new regrowth again in my liver. I was discharged for home rest after warded in and out of hospital many times for biles complications. Guess what, I started to develop fever almost everyday. Barely two weeks, I was admitted again. Diagnosis revealed that the nuclear medicine had eroded my lungs and damaged my bile duct.
I had 50% of my lungs cut off and heavens did not let me off lightly. I continued to have infections and have 4 tubes attached to my body to drain the abscess in my body. Two days ago, the surgeon told me to undergo the thoracic window procedure immediately or I will lose my fight. For people who are unaware of this procedure, this is a surgical procedure to remove part of the ribs and cut open a 4x4cm hole in the body. This is a World War II procedure to treat pneumonia.
To-date, I have spent around SGD 750,000 on my medical bills which my insurance coverage has exploded. The last stay (12 May to 26 July) had cost me $346,601.60 alone. Even I was partially covered by insurance, my savings are almost wiped out from my liabilities as I've not been able to work since diagnosed 19 Apr 2016. As I am typing this, the estimated bill is SGD 100,000 (doctor cost only).
Sometimes I wish I am better off dead then to face this mountain full of bills beside suffering from all the pain everyday.
Even if this is the last major op (fingers crossed) doc told me its murphy's law for me. Whatever can happen, will happen, i have to embark on $5000 per month injection for the rest of my life which I do not know how long I'll live till then. Will I have enough for all these treatments?
Even if this is the last major op (fingers crossed) doc told me its murphy's law for me. Whatever can happen, will happen, i have to embark on $5000 per month injection for the rest of my life which I do not know how long I'll live till then. Will I have enough for all these treatments?
I appeal for help. I may be an entire stranger to you but I will appreciate any monetary amount. Every dollar and cent is important to me now.
I thank you all in advance. God bless!"
I thank you all in advance. God bless!"
*******************************
As I'm writing this, I sincerely plead everyone to donate whenever possible. Even a dollar counts, even if it seems insignificant compared to the 6 digit sum that she needs.
It's hard to help when I'm only 19 and have barely enough savings to help her out but apart from donating a small part of whatever I have now, I thought that the next best thing I could do for her is to share her story and raise awareness.
It's even harder to ask help from my friends who are mostly students and still depending on their parents for financial support and barely have any savings at this young age, but I assure you that really, even a dollar matters at this point.
So if you now, have the capacity to give and help Donna out, please do and I thank you in advance. And if you don't, you can help to share the link and raise awareness so we can all help Donna out.
If anyone has any concerns or questions, you can comment on this post below or feel free to email me at cheryyyylllll@gmail.com for any further queries so I can help clarify anything if you like, and I'll contact Donna myself too if you need.
No one deserves to have cancer, even if they are villians with black hearts or the worst kind of humans possible. We have lost so many of our loved ones to it. And in any way, no one deserves to fret over their financial expenses or reject any treatment for themselves just because they can't afford it. I know everyone has their own struggles and we're all trying to survive in our own ways in this world, but I believe we're all meant to help each other out and lessen each other's pain.
"We rise by lifting others. "
And I wanna share one of the most beautiful and empowering quotes here:
The heart that gives, gathers.
And as Mother Theresa once said:
"Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love."
