GMA: A real life version of "The Fault in Our Stars"

Request from

Jené Kotze 

 
Request for

Richard Shaw

Angel

Pieter van Zyl, Total Petroport Panorama

 
Sponsoring

Total Petroport Panorama will contribute R30 000,00 in order to assist Jené and Richard to fight his illness and make more memories 

Background

A 19-year old law student, one day meeting a guy, getting to know him, falling in love and they lived happily ever after ... That's how this story should go. And, that's still what Jené believes in - a marriage and a future with the love of her life, Richard. Where they met is a crucial detail of this love story. Jené and 20-year old Richard met in hospital - while they were both receiving chemotherapy. They had both been diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma - or blood cancer. They've been together for two years now ... Jené is doing much better these days, but she has not resumed her law studies yet. Instead, she is looking after Richard, with the help of her mom. He is not doing as well as Jené and his cancer has spread. However, Jené and Richard believe that his starts will change and that he will too be cured by Christmas.   

 

Contact:

Jené on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jene.j.kotze 
 

Original request
 
Good afternoon to the GMA team.
 
My name is Jené Kotze and I'm sending in a request on behalf of my boyfriend. Richard Shaw was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2012 and oddly enough so was I. I was only 19 while Richard was 20. We actually met at chemotherapy and even though I'm in remission now, Richard isn't.

 
Today is our 22 month anniversary and just yesterday we were given devastating news.

 
Richard has been through so much and I admire his strength. He has had multiple operations including port insertions, biopsies, a lung operation and he has had 4 different types of chemotherapy, 6 weeks of radiation and a stem cell transfusion. Nothing seems to have worked and yesterday it was confirmed that the cancer had yet again spread.

 
The situation does seem hopeless but Richard and I will always be hopeful. He is a wonderful person to be around. He makes people laugh and smile with his amazing outlook on life. We were meant to find each other in that horrible place. I gave up my dreams of becoming a lawyer, I only studied one year of LLB law before being diagnosed. I decided to put my efforts, heart and soul into helping Richard and supporting him. My mom is a stay at home mom and she helps me everyday to take care of him as well.

 
It might sound selfish but I cannot let him just die. We are so young and my heart is set on marrying him!

 
My mother and I have read about soooo many alternative procedures like Poli MVA + Foresight immune boosters, Gersons therapy and cyberknife but we just don't have the funds. Richard stays with us because we live closer to the hospitals and his father can't always take care of him since he works so much. As anyone can imagine, it costs A LOT to give him everything he needs. My dad is the only breadwinner taking care of my mom, my brother in matric, myself and Richard.

 
All I ask is for help! We are desperate and in need of serious help.. We have been through sooooo much and even if GMA can only assist in helping to organising a fundraiser, we would be forever and ever thankful!

 
Please help me save my boyfriend. I truly love him and wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't do absolutely everything possible to save him.
 

Thank you in advance for your help.
 
Kind kind regards
Jené