Help save a life

I would like to firstly thank you for spending your precious time in wanting to read this story.

This is a short story of Benazir an afghan woman who has been a hero for her family and a role model of strength, care and love for many in her life,that includes me.

I meet Benazir in 2013 when I went to visit Afghanistan; she made me feel so welcomed, loved, supported and safe. After spending few days in her house I started to understand the struggles she was having. Even though Benazir was silent she did not show me any of her pain, struggle through any words or emotions, but everything else around her spoke for her pain and hardship.

For example she has a husband who is in bed ill with many health issues, unemployed, she has 3 sons two with severe mental health issues. The older son has left Afghanistan for over 15 years to be a provider and a bread winner to his mother, father, brothers, and his own wife and children. His earning is $150 US dollars, and they pay $100 US dollars a month for rent. Hence she is left with $50 for a whole month, because this money is not enough to cover for everything. She would get up every morning at 5:15am, make breakfast ready for all her family, and then leave for work.

I soon found out that she helps a family with cleaning their house, washing their cloths, cooking for them all day long until 3:00pm. What really shocked me was that she gets paid $2 a day. This covers for 4-5 bread loaves. However what really made her stand out for me as an idol was when I found out that, on top of all the struggle with her own family, she was also happy and willing to look after a blind man (her brother in-law) she has been looking after him for over 20 years, with a smile on her face and a heart full of care. Amazing, wow is exactly what I was thinking, while processing what I was seeing.

However one month ago, I got the news that she has lost a lot of weight and has difficulties swallowing any food, and because of finances she hasn’t been able to see the doctor. I sent some money for her to get her endoscopy done, and sample of tissue from the oesophagus where taken for a Biopsy. There is no cancer treatment in Afghanistan so the biopsy sample was sent to Pakistan and the report stated it was a malignancy growth. The doctors advised Benazir to go to a free cancer hospital in Lahore Pakistan named Shaukat Khanum. Once again I helped sent $450US dollars so they can get to the hospital.

When the son in Iran heard this news he came to Kabul, to take his mum to the hospital. After nearly 24 hours drive in public buses and 2.5 days of a wait in the hospital waiting room, her name was finally called. The doctor saw the biopsy report and saw her age written on it. She was disrespectfully advised that because she is 63 they will not do any test on her or treatment, and she was advised to go back home and never return to hospital.

I called and heard the news of what had happened tearfully, Benazir said the doctor made her feel stupid for seeking medical care, and that dying was the only way out hence she agreed to return back to Kabul. I advised that she goes to a private hospital to find out what stage the cancer is at, or if it is even treatable. She travelled back from Lahore to Islamabad which is 7 hours drive, and visited Shifa international hospital. Not long after their arrival I got to speak on the phone in English to a doctor and explained that they cannot afford an interpreter and can’t speak in English or Hindi and that I will be a phone interpreter. The doctor was warm hearted, understanding, empathic; he referred her for a CT scan. The result came back, the cancer has spread to only two lymph nodes, and that her chance of survival is %87 percent, if she has the recommended treatment. Which is one month of chemotherapy- radiotherapy, and then a surgical removal of the lesion.

The full cost of treatment is $10,000 US dollars, which by no means they can afford. Once again Benazir hopes of getting better and receiving treatment is shattered. Being the only person she knows from overseas I am her only hope or light of getting over this nightmare. I have promised Benazir that I will do everything in my power and give it my 100% to help as much as I can. I have also said to her that I am lucky, blessed to be living in New Zealand, there are a lot of amazing kind and loving people, that might help save her life, not because they know her, but because they believe every human has the right to live and receive quality care. As the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 states that "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services.

Benazir has not received many of her rights as a human being during her life, I beg whoever is reading this to help and support her in saving her life, and lets together give Benazir one of her biggest right.

You can make a change by saving someone’s life today.

All her medical reports and a copy of her passport can be provided on request.

if you wanted to help support her in her fight for life.