Family seeks help

By Deidre Tautua – Fanene 19 June 2018, 12:00AM

Forty-seven-year-old Lufo Ioane is in need of assistance. 

Ms. Ioane suffers from colorectal cancer (C.R.C.), also known as bowel cancer or colon cancer, which is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine).         

Yesterday, her and her husband, Patolo Fa’asavalu, spoke to the Samoa Observer about their need for assistance in paying her husband’s fair to India to assist in her operation. 

Ms. Ioane said she had an operation last year to remove the part that was affected.

“That surgery the doctors had to remove the part that was affected it’s called ‘ileostomy surgery’, where the damaged part is removed from the ileum and the cut end diverted to an artificial opening in the abdominal wall, therefore an opening formed by an ileostomy.”

“At the moment there is a hole on my belly where if I want to go the bathroom that’s how I use the bathroom, so that is why I need to go to India because the doctors can’t do it here to do a what is called a ‘ileostomy reverse’.”

“It’s a reversal of the colostomy process by which the colon is reattached to the rectum or anus, providing for the return of flow of waste through the digestive tract.”

“So that is why I need to go to India, which the Government fully covered her financial needs.”

Ms. Ioane said she needs her husband to assist her, but the problem is they don’t have the money.  

Mr. Fa’asavalu added he cannot afford the fare to India, hence why he is seeking help.

“My wife is scheduled to leave Samoa this Saturday,” he said.

“The air fare to India is $6,000 return ticket but that does not count the accommodation and everything that we have to pay for.”

“I was told that from here to Fiji we have to spend a night there and we have to pay for that stop, then we stop over at Singapore and we also spend one night there.”

Mr. Fa’asavalu added the whole cost of the trip is $10,000.

“When we arrive in India, we will go straight to the hospital and we are not sure whether the operation will be done on that day,” he said. 

“However, when the operation is done, my wife needs to remain at the hospital just in case the unexpected occurred, so she will be at the Intensive Unit Care, but as for me, I have to find a place to stay or book a room at a hotel because only the patient is allowed at the hospital.”

“I have to find an accommodation and I have to pay for it so this is why we are seeking for help.”

“I went to the Gambling Control Authority of Samoa for help however it wasn’t successful because they can only sponsor the patient or a child.”

“We even sought help from the Samoa Victim Support Group, but we were told of the same thing that they can only sponsor a patient or a child.”

“This is our only hope to put our story in the paper with the hope that someone out there will be able to help us.”

Ms. Ioane said she needs her husband with her to care for her.

“I need him there because I would definitely need help after the surgery,” she said.

“However, if the day I am scheduled to leave comes and my husband does not have an air fare, then I will have to go by myself.”

“My husband does work, but the money he earns is not enough to cover for his air fare and all the accommodation.”

“We also have children of our own who attend school.”

“For now we are desperately looking for someone to help us in paying for his fare and that’s why we are seeking help through the Samoa Observer.”

If you want to help Ms. Ioane and her husband, contact them on 7281260, 7231609 or 7793440.

By Deidre Tautua – Fanene 19 June 2018, 12:00AM
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