Helping Durell fight his mom's cancer battle
The Good Morning Angels Fund will get the ball rolling with a contribution of R100,000 towards Charlette Jackson's medical treatment.
Durell Barnett, 39, is a hardworking chef, dad to eight-year-old Declan, and son of 68-year-old Charlette Jackson. This, in short, is who and what he lives for.
Charlette lives with Durell and Declan, as he has been caring for his mom for many years. Durell is a single dad to Declan, so the three of them are a happy and loving little family.
In the middle of January this year, Charlette was diagnosed with cancer in her throat. She has a cancerous growth near her main artery that needs to be removed as it is life-threatening.
The family does not have medical aid and they were advised against going to the State Hospital, due to the urgency and severity of the situation.
After the surgery, Charlette needs to receive radiation, after which the doctor believes she would have a better than 70% chance to heal completely.
The projected cost of the treatment is a whopping R500,000, which Durell and his mom simply cannot afford.
Durell sold his car to afford the initial scans and to make a start. His friends and colleagues jumped into action and in the space of a few weeks, were able to raise an amazing R315,000!
Charlette is going into theatre on Wednesday for surgery to remove the cancerous growth before it breaches the artery in her throat.
They are still R185,000 short of the full treatment, and that’s why they reached out to Good Morning Angels.
Listen here:
REQUEST FOR: Charlette Jackson and her son, Durell Barnett
REQUEST FROM: Rudi Breedt
ANGEL: The Good Morning Angels Fund NPC
SPONSORING: The Good Morning Angels Fund will get the ball rolling with a contribution of R100,000 towards Charlette's medical treatment.
ORIGINAL REQUEST:Hallo Good Morning Angels,
This is the situation of Durell Barnett and his little family.
Please will you consider assisting them?
We as his friends and colleagues have raised as much funds as we could, but we need more help.
Thank you,
Rudi Breedt
Dear Good Morning Angels,
My name is Durell Barnett. I am the head chef at Irene Dairy Farm in Centurion, employed with the company since July 2018.
I am a single parent caring for my eight-year-old son and my mother, Charlette. My mother was recently diagnosed with cancer in her throat and requires surgery urgently. The surgeon wants to operate as early as middle February and has advised that we should not leave it longer than a month, end of February, due to the risk of cancer spreading or possible destruction of the main artery. We are praying that you may be able to assist as the surgery and hospital costs are estimated around R500 000.00.
On Tuesday 16 January 2024 we found out that my mom has cancer in the deep tissue of her throat, squamous cell carcinoma in the right tonsillar region. We visited an ENT Surgeon and he said that the cancer is likely at stage four with suspicion that it has spread to the lymph nodes, although not confirmed. I still needed to take my mother for further scans - I could not take her as radiology quoted on two scans which came to just over R20,000.00 and we do not have medical aid. I did enquire about taking her to a state hospital and the Surgeon advised against it. He said that she would receive radiation at best. We were told that she requires surgery and reconstruction. They will need to harvest skin from her forearm to repair her throat. The surgery would then be followed up with radiation therapy and a stay in ICU will be necessary as she would need to be fed with pipes entering her nose or stomach. We were advised that if we go forward with the treatment, her chances of survival are very good, above 70%.
I am not in the financial position to go forward with the necessary treatment as we need around R500, 000.00 for everything. The doctor said that was the best and the worst case, but not likely more than that. The doctor also warned that we should not leave this for longer than a month. The tumour is very close to her artery and he is concerned that if it gets any larger, it will destroy the artery and she will bleed to death. I am posting this because I am truly desperate.
Those of you who know my mother, or have come into contact with my mother will know that she is an incredibly strong and selfless person, certainly the most selfless person I know. My mother has given so much, helped countless people and animals in need over the years. She is still here for me every day and for my son too, helping him with his homework and basically being a mother to him. My mother has never asked anything in return. All that I wish is for her final years on this earth to be as comfortable as possible. I wish I could have done better as a son and I wish I was in a better position to provide the care that she needs now, but this is out of my reach and I do not know where else to turn.
I understand that everyone is fighting just to get through in today’s world and I know it is not always within people’s means to give. I am not asking for a lot, only that you please give what you can or share this story so that others may have the opportunity.
Thank you for taking the time to read my plea. I hope that you will please find it in your heart to help in some way.
In the event that you can, I have included my banking details below:
ABSA BANK
Account name: DURELL EATON BARNETT
Account Number: 4094399712
Branch code: 632005
Account Type: Current account
Thank you.
Kind regards
Durell Barnett
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