Tzaneen family pleads for help for mom’s cancer medication
A Tzaneen family appeals for public help to fund R128k-per-cycle cancer treatment for Stephanie Perold, a mother of three with metastatic breast cancer.
TZANEEN – A family has made a heartfelt appeal to the public as they fight to save the life of a devoted mom of three battling metastatic breast cancer.
Stephanie Perold, a former Merensky Agricultural Academy teacher, is described by her family as the “heart of their world”.
In a BackaBuddy campaign, her husband, Maurits, says that despite being a private family, they need the help of the community.
Aggressive cancer spreads
Stephanie first faced a stage II breast cancer diagnosis in 2018. After undergoing a bilateral mastectomy and intensive chemotherapy, she went into remission, giving her family six years of hope and normalcy.
However, in April last year, their lives were again turned upside down. What initially appeared to be a small lump developed into aggressive HER2-positive cancer, which has since spread to her lymph nodes, shoulder, spine, and pelvis.
Despite enduring more than 10 rounds of treatment in recent months, including chemotherapy and targeted therapies, her condition has continued to worsen.
Breakthrough drug offers renewed hope
Doctors have now recommended a breakthrough drug, Enhertu, which offers renewed hope of slowing the cancer’s progression and extending her life.
“But this hope comes at a high financial cost. Each treatment cycle costs approximately R128 000. While medical aid contributes R28 000 and financial assistance programmes are expected to cover around R50 000, the family is left with a shortfall of R50 000 every three weeks. Stephanie requires between 14 and 18 treatments, placing an overwhelming financial burden on the family.”
‘It’s her best chance to see our children grow up’
To even access this treatment, they were forced to upgrade their medical aid, increasing their monthly expenses by an additional R7 000.
“Asking for help is incredibly difficult,” stated Maurits. “But we cannot do this alone. This treatment is her best chance to see our children grow up.”
The family has now turned to the community for support and created a BackaBuddy campaign urging anyone who can to contribute toward Stephanie’s treatment costs.
They emphasise that every donation, no matter how small, will go directly toward giving Stephanie more time with her children and a fighting chance at life.
