Please help us pay for Shane’s cancer medical costs

Dearest friends and family,

As many of you know, Shane was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma in 2009. They removed the cancerous mole on his left calf and did a wide excision removing additional flesh around the mole. He had his lymph nodes removed in his groin. In 2013 he underwent more surgery and a painful skin graft as the melanoma spread to the fatty tissue of his lower leg. During 2013 - 2014 he underwent preventative treatment that involved him injecting himself 3 times a week, over 150 injections and several side effects for a whole year. Despite this, the melanoma spread to Shane's lung. In February 2015 he started chemotherapy and again the side effects were very rough. Initially he responded well to treatment, but then the progress stopped. In September 2015 Shane had a new radiation treatment in the lung called Stereotactic Radio Surgery. This is a high dose of radiation aimed directly at the tumour. This proved very successful and the lung is virtually clear now .

However in September Shane suffered from back ache and he was finally admitted to hospital in November 2015 with severe lower back pain. An MRI scan confirmed his worst fear. There was a large tumour in his lower back that had grown into and fractured L3 vertebrae.

An operation seems too risky, so Shane has applied for a new Immunotherapy treatment called Yervoy (Ipilimumab). After an anxious wait for the medical aid to approve the treatments, they have now agreed to pay R760,000 ($49,000; £33,000). However the total cost of the treatment is R1,000,000 ($65,000; £44,000) so Shane will have to pay the R240,000 ($16,000; £11,000) difference. This is to cover the current treatment plan, and who knows if there may be more in the future?

Angelo and I have known Shane for over 30 years, and he is one of the most generous and caring people we know. In all the years we have known him, Shane has always been the type of person to help his friends and family in any way that he can, even when they don't ask. Conversely, he's not the type of person to easily accept help, even when there's an entire community waiting to do so. So here is our chance to show our appreciation and gratitude towards such a caring individual. We have created this page in hope to return the generosity that he has shown his friends and family.

Lastly, we would like to thank you all for taking the time to read this and to please donate what you can. It takes a community of support and help to make things possible. Every bit counts!!

Sincerely,

Grant and Angelo