Troy was diagnosed with Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma (JNA), a rare disease that affects adolescent boys, at the end of 2021 and underwent an operation last year to remove a benign vascular tumour. Two more tumours appeared a few months later and were removed on Wednesday, March 29 this year and he was thought to be on his way to recovery. Jeff, Troy’s father, said that after this surgery he again received radiation.

Also read: Troy’s surgery is a success

“With his operation what they did was facial engraving. He has a big tumour in the eye socket which is causing his left eye to loose sight now. In total his operation was R680 000. After they did the operation they realised that they could only take about  40% to 50% of the tumour. After the operation, Troy started getting the nose bleed again. That is when the doctor said that they would have to go for radiation.

The tumour was getting aggressive and if they do not stop it, it would kill my son. He said that it is not really a nosebleed, it’s the tumour bleeding,” said Jeff. Jeff said that their lives for the past two and a half years, they have been living on the road. “I called the doctors in Pretoria and told them that Troy was getting worse, and they told me to bring him in,” he said.

Also read: Fundraiser for Troy’s life saving surgery a success

“One of the tumours burst and started bleeding which is a threat to his sight. As of now, he still has one large tumour.” He said Troy is now in Hoedspruit and as a single parent he has to make sure that both his sons are fine. He is also spared the expense of going to Gauteng for treatments, he said.

Troy has also lost his hair, something that is tough for him, Jeff told the Herald. “We are now waiting to see what will happen, and if his health deteriorates, he will go back to hospital,” he added. Mark Lewis, a friend of the Matthysen family and director of Jahara Treatment Centre assisted the family in raising the money that was needed for Troy’s treatment.