Tibby’s worthy appeal to survive.

A Retha's Legacy Project: Tibby’s Worthy Appeal for Financial Support

Background:

Our precious Tibby Martin is the 'mommy' of the ME /CFS community in South Africa, serving our community selflessly for many years. She is the go-to person for many of us when we need someone to listen, give advice, or help gain perspective.

Tibby is such an empathetic, warm, giving, and all together lovely, human being. And now, for the first time, she needs our help.

She has become so severely ill with ME/CFS that she can no longer function, and needs financial support for her and her family to provide for their medical and other needs. With all the added financial stress her health has deteriorated even further.

Tibby was a close and treasured friend of the late Retha Viviers, founder of the ME/CFS Foundation in SA, whose invaluable work our team is continuing. This appeal for Tibby is exactly what Retha would have envisaged us to do.

Her story:

The dire state of SA’s economy has caused Tibby and her family to fall on hard times recently. Both she and her husband, Phil (75), are pensioners, and for the past eight years, she has also been too ill to work.

They have a minimal pension, and although Phil is desperately looking for work, there are few suitable jobs in SA at present. This is caused by the high unemployment rate, and Phil’s age is counting against him too. He also suffered a debilitating burnout incident in 2013, leading to his early retirement in 2014.

Furthermore, Phil and Tibby have to provide for their intellectually disabled daughter, Janet (46), a resident at Irene Homes. At this stage, family members are sponsoring her accommodation costs, but this would soon end too.

Their finances became precarious due to the following reasons:

- The extremely high cost of medical care for the three of them. The cost of medical aid has escalated dramatically over the past couple of years in SA, and they can no longer afford the high premiums.
- They have had to reduce their medical coverage to the most basic plan. This means that hospital care will be covered, but very little of their chronic medication or outpatient care. (The public health system in SA is sub-standard.)
- Lately, their medical costs have escalated significantly, particularly for the treatment needed for Janet, their dependent daughter’s psychiatric disorders.
- A small investment, which has kept them afloat until now, is running out soon, and Phil’s small pension will not be sufficient for them to live on.
- Their sons are able to support them to a limited extent, but as recent immigrants to foreign countries, they cannot commit to regular, sustainable contributions.

This is such a worthwhile cause for a more than worthwhile person. Without help, Tibby and Phil might become homeless and unable to survive.

Their primary needs are for:
• Medications/Medical aid/Medical costs
• Food
• Rent (they are planning a move to a granny flat asap to reduce their monthly rental cost)
• Petrol, Insurance, telephone, internet access and other incidental costs

How much is needed:

They will need about an additional R30,000 each month to keep afloat. This translates to about £1500 or $1850 according to current exchange rates.

Iyou are contributing in SA you can pay directly into Tibby’s account

Name : RM Martin

Bank: ABSA

Savings Account No 6200578051

Branch Code 63200

#ImHopeful
#MEmommy
#stophomelessness
#Save Tibby
#awayforward
#qualitylife
#MillionsMissing
#MECFS
#love