Abu Dhabi brain tumour patient appeals for help with Dh31,792 medicine bill

Abu Dhabi: Abdul Aziz, a 59-year-old Bangladeshi, has been suffering from a brain tumour since last September. He needs medication to complete his treatment, which costs Dh31,792. However, his difficult financial circumstances and family obligations prevent him from being able to raise the amount. He appeals to the generous and kind-hearted to help him provide the necessary medication to complete his treatment journey. The patient underwent surgery to remove the tumour at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City Hospital in Abu Dhabi (SEHA), and stayed for 30 days receiving the necessary treatment and medical care. The health insurance covered the costs of the surgery and stay, but he could not afford the cost of the medicines required to complete his treatment. Medical reports issued by the hospital stated that the surgery involved opening the skull and removing a tumour on the right side of the brain, using surgical navigation technology, under general anaesthesia, and that he is under follow-up at the oncology department, while the results of the tests and scans last October showed his need for oral chemotherapy drugs, to complete his prescribed treatment plan. Abdulaziz talked about his ordeal with the disease, saying: “My suffering began last September when I felt a rise in my body temperature and a recurring headache, accompanied by diarrhoea and extreme fatigue. At first, I thought that these were symptoms of a simple illness that would disappear with time, but the headache continued, and I began to feel extremely tired, which affected my ability to do my work on the farm. I did not know that this suffering would be the beginning of a long journey with the disease.” He added: “As the symptoms continued and my health deteriorated, I was transferred to the emergency department at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City Hospital in Abu Dhabi, where I underwent medical examinations, tests, and a CT scan of the brain. The doctors informed me that there was a tumour, and the news was a great shock to me. I felt fear and anxiety about my life and the future of my family, especially since I am the sole provider for them, and I did not expect to be afflicted with such a serious disease.” He continued: “The medical team told me that my health condition required surgical intervention to remove the tumour. I underwent the operation last September, and afterwards I stayed in the hospital for 30 days receiving the necessary treatment and care, until my health condition improved, and the doctors allowed me to leave, with the need to continue medical follow-up and complete the treatment plan.” He said: “The health insurance covered all the costs of the surgery and hospital stay, which relieved me of a significant financial burden. However, my suffering did not end after the surgery, as the medical team informed me that I needed to complete radiotherapy and obtain oral chemotherapy drugs. The cost of the required medications amounts to Dh31,792, and I do not have the ability to provide this amount, given my limited monthly income and family obligations.” He added: “I work as a farm worker with a monthly salary of Dh2,000, of which I send 1,500 dirhams to my family in Bangladesh, consisting of my wife, my four children, and my elderly parents, to provide for their basic needs and living expenses, and I keep the remaining Dh500 to cover my personal needs for the entire month.” Abdulaziz appeals to kind-hearted people to help him cover the cost of the medicine so that he can complete his treatment, hoping to improve his health and continue supporting his family.