Help us save our colleague and friend

Advertising sales executive Tana Arp has been a pillar in the Caxton West Rand family for many years.

As a sales representative, her customers know her as a no-nonsense, go-getter that gets the job done, no matter what.

To her colleagues, she serves as an inspiration, never tiring, never giving up, always positive, with a fearsome reputation as one of the top sales representatives within the Caxton group.

Tana’s life was thrown into chaos in 2020 when she was diagnosed with a rare pancreatic cancer, but in true Tana-style, and despite dire predictions from medical staff at the time, she would not let this get her down.

With sheer determination, Tana endured a life-threatening operation to remove the cancer from her pancreas.

With a lot of prayers, support from her friends, family, and colleagues, and aggressive chemotherapy treatments, she exceeded the expectations of doctors, being officially declared in remission only three months into her gruelling seven-month treatment regime.

Throughout all this, Tana was manning her post at work, even while at one point having next to no immune system. She simply donned her mask, and went about her business, much to the astonishment, and adoration of her colleagues.

The news of Tana’s remission was a fantastic day for Caxton West Rand and an even better one for Tana.

“I could scarcely believe it,” she said. “This thing that was supposed to kill me, was by all appearances well and truly beaten.”

Tana, at the insistence of her doctor, completed her brutal seven-month treatment regime and went on about her life. She still underwent regular testing.

“I thought it was just routine, but in January this year, one of the tests came back positive for cancer.”

Stoic as ever, Tana took the news in her stride, going for test after test, until a biopsy of her lung in February confirmed the news – the cancer was back.

“This time, they cannot operate to remove the cancer, since I am too thin, and there is no muscle structure to speak of to support an operation of this magnitude,” she said.

Tana suffered a further setback when she received news that the very costly, yet potentially life-saving chemotherapy and radiation treatments that she requires, would not be covered by her medical aid.

“These specific treatments are expressly excluded by my medical aid, thus I have reluctantly opted to settle for the next best thing for the time being.”

Upon hearing of this, Tana’s colleagues in the sales division of Caxton West Rand decided that something had to be done.

They have started a BackaBuddy campaign to raise funds for Tana’s treatment, which amounts to about R500 000.

The chemotherapy and radiation therapy that Tana requires is extremely expensive, but, with Tana as inspiration, the Caxton team is confident that they can reach their goal.

According to Caxton West Rand branch champion Debbie Pienaar, she cannot think of anyone more deserving than Tana.

“Tana is beloved and admired among her colleagues and customers alike. She is always the first one who will lend a helping hand when things get tough. I am proud of the Caxton team and I know that they can reach any goal that they set for themselves,” Debbie said.

If you would like to donate toward this potentially life-saving treatment for Tana, click the link here:  https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/fight-like-a-girl.