A Fish Hoek father is appealing to the community to help raise funds for his daughter’s much-needed cancer treatment.
Katherine de Lange, 31, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020.
She is the tuckshop owner at Sun Valley Primary School, and her father, Chris de Lange, said she has been a “true warrior”.
Her family have started a BackaBuddy campaign for her to raise money for her treatment which will cost about R36 000 a month.
Since her diagnosis, her father said, the cancer has spread through the lymph system and after several CT scans and MRIs, it was discovered that the cancer had spread to her bones, lungs, and liver.
Despite 10 rounds of targeted radiation, a CT scan and MRI in January indicated three more tumours on her liver.
He said she is a fighter and has never given up hope that she will eventually beat it but it is getting more difficult every time a bout of bad news is added to her plate
“Her oncologist is throwing everything possible at this new mutation of cancer but once again, the medical aid is declining to pay for the new treatment,” he said.
Mr De Lange said her medication for the past six months had amounted to R130 000 and while they have applied for financial assistance to cover the next round of medication it will not cover all the expenses.
“Every single cent helps. Don’t think that R10 doesn’t make a difference. If 10 people donate R10, it’s R100. It makes a difference,” he said.