Personal message

Hi, dear Reader,

My name is Paul Rossouw, and on February 4th, 2024, I will be 57. I did not think I would live to this day; I almost did not, having three near-death experiences during my battle with cancer, but here I am—I survived.

I have always been a fiercely independent man who hates to ask for help, intervention, or assistance. It has been a rough journey, depending on everyone.

Cancer humbled, frightened, and terrified me. I feared I would die and not grow old with the love of my life. I feared a slow, agonizing death if the treatments did not work. I feared this disease with everything within me.

After my diagnosis and during treatment, I became weak, unemployed, and had to depend on my wife to care for me—accompanying me on my journey, attending appointments and treatments, helping me bathe, dress, make meals, and more, on top of her own busy schedule as a Councillor in Local Govt, deployed to 6 Wards. She barely slept and was mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted, but she never gave up. She stood by my side through the worst, being my full-time carer and working long hours.

I overcame cancer, but after a horrible operation that left me impotent, grumpy, frustrated, and with a permanent stoma, she is still there right beside me, loving and encouraging me. We just celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary on January 10th, 2024.

I need treatment for my impotence and psychological frustrations due to being scarred after this life-altering surgery. I need to pay a huge load of medical bills, and above all else, I want to give this phenomenal woman who loves me a special holiday to celebrate the fact that we are still able to be together.

The appointments at the Men's Health clinic, ultrasounds, appointments with a Urologist, and other treatments that will allow me to have certain male functions restored could cost around R20k, as medications treating this are costly and there will be various appointments, not just a single one.

I owe my courage and hope during my trial with Stage III Rectal Cancer to my praying, loving, and supportive wife, children, and grandchildren, but most especially to the love of my life, my wife, who held my hand and gave me the courage to fight.

To alleviate my medical debt, which amounts to R37k, and to be able to do something special for this formidable woman at my side—the love of my life, I need your kindness and generosity. Could you please open your heart and donate to my cause to bring some relief after an arduous battle? I would be eternally grateful.

Our fundraising target is R76000. This will cover all the costs for my appointments, medications, and treatments for my men's health, as well as all my medical bills, and leave some amount to do something special for my support system—the reason I never gave up.

I love my wife, my children, and grandchildren, and I am grateful for my life.

Thank you for reading my story, and thank you for your kindness and generosity.

With a grateful heart,

Paul