Helping a dad get back on his feet to provide for his family
Jacaranda FM's Good Morning Angels assisted the Van der Merwe family with R75 000 after Tertius van der Merwe fell from a ladder and broke his hip and several vertebrae.
Tertius van der Merwe runs his own shopfitting business.
Running a profitable business is not easy, but he works long hours alongside his team to keep it going and provide for his family.
His daughter, Marli, is in primary school.
A few weeks ago, Tertius was working on site on a shop revamp when he fell from a ladder. He broke his hip and several vertebrae. His wife, Vicki, called an ambulance, and he was taken to the nearest private hospital.
However, Tertius cancelled his medical aid last year because the business was going through a difficult period following non-payment by a client.
Vicki and Tertius were stunned when they received a hospital quotation of R1.2 million for his treatment.
Tertius decided to go to a state hospital, where he received the urgent hip operation he needed. He should be receiving rehabilitation treatment, but because of a lack of funds, he is recovering at home. He still needs at least four more weeks of regular physiotherapy.
This has placed immense financial strain on the family, who have already experienced tremendous loss this year.
Vicki’s only sister passed away in April, and her sister’s 21-year-old son, who is on the autism spectrum, is coming to live with them.
Vicki’s father has Alzheimer’s disease, and her parents are moving into an assisted-living facility.
This is what Tertius and Vicki need help with:
- Outstanding private hospital bill: R45 000
- Wheelchair to assist with Tertius’s mobility: R3 800
- Physiotherapy, three sessions a week at R850 per session: R15 000
- TOTAL: R65 000
Friends and family have helped where they can, but with Tertius unable to earn an income, the family cannot afford these expenses and the critical rehabilitation assistance he needs. That is why they reached out to Good Morning Angels.
REQUEST FOR: Vicki and Tertius van der Merwe
REQUEST FROM: Wian Smith
ANGEL: The Good Morning Angels Fund NPC
SPONSORING: The Good Morning Angels Fund will assist the Van der Merwe family with R75 000 towards medical and other expenses to help Tertius get back on his feet and provide for his family.
ORIGINAL REQUEST
My name is Vicki, and I am starting this BackaBuddy campaign on behalf of my husband, Tertius.
Tertius has his own business and was recently working on site at a shop he was revamping when he fell from a ladder. What should have been another normal working day suddenly became a very frightening and overwhelming situation for our family.
During a difficult financial period, we had to make the hard decision to cancel our medical aid, and now this has happened. We are facing the reality of private medical expenses, treatment, possible surgery, recovery costs and the loss of income while Tertius is unable to work.
It has been an incredibly difficult year for our family. We lost my sister earlier this year, and my dad has also been very ill, although we are deeply grateful that he is doing better now. Through everything, we have tried to remain positive and keep going, but this accident has brought us to a point where we need to ask for help.
Anyone who knows Tertius will know that he is the kind of person who will stop everything to help someone else. He gives his time, his hands, his skills and his heart without thinking twice. Now, he is the one who needs support.
We are hoping to raise funds to help cover his medical treatment, hospital and specialist costs, rehabilitation, recovery expenses and the financial pressure caused by his inability to work during this time.
As his wife, it is not easy to ask for help, but I am doing this because Tertius deserves the best possible chance to recover fully and get back on his feet.
Every donation, no matter how small, will make a difference. For those who are unable to contribute financially, sharing this campaign with friends, family, colleagues and the community would mean the world to us.
Thank you for standing with Tertius and our family during this difficult time.
With love and gratitude,
Vicki
Tune in to 'Good Morning Angels', every Wednesday from 06:00 – 09:00, on 'Breakfast with Martin Bester'. Stream the special feature live here or download our mobile app here.
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