According to Mrs Antoinette de Wet, her younger sister, Anell van der Watt, a matric learner of Hoërskool Carletonville, noticed that her stomach was swollen around July this year. From the 12th, the swelling started increasing rapidly. “She called me while my family and I were on holiday and said she did not feel well. When we got back, she had lost about 14 kg in only a week,” says her sister. She immediately paid for Anell to go to a private doctor. Her family does not have medical aid because her father is on pension. The doctor said she had a bowel obstruction and referred her to Carletonville Hospital. Here, doctors took blood samples and found that Anell’s infection level was 154, much higher than the 40 of a healthy person. She was sent to Leratong Hospital for treatment for three days. After this, her condition continued to worsen. A private doctor arranged for her to go for scans at Fountain Private Hospital. They discovered a huge tumour measuring 25 cm by 17 cm by 16 cm on her ovaries. Due to the size of the mass, neither Carletonville- nor Leratong Hospital could facilitate the procedure. Anell would have to go to the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Coronationville. She would have to wait months to be operated on, however. Anell turned 18 on 11 August amid all her health problems. She went to a private gynaecologist in Potchefstroom, Dr Etienne Thomas, for a second opinion last week. “He said he was very concerned, as the tumour had grown to the size of a 40 week-old baby in this short time,” says Antoinette. They decided that Anell’s operation could not wait any longer as the growth was putting pressure on her organs. This makes it very difficult for her family, however. They do not have the financial means to pay for an operation in a private hospital, which would cost around R75,000. Thanks to the help and fundraising of friends and teachers, they have raised enough money to secure a surgeon and an anaesthesiologist. Potchefstroom Mediclinic has given the go-ahead for Anell to be operated on, on Friday, 27 August. Her family will have to pay the outstanding amount within the next seven days. “My little sister is a good, friendly child who never gives her teachers any trouble. That is why everyone rallied to help her. We will not be able to pay for her surgery without more help, however. Our family has enough money for a private doctor here and there, but to pay for an operation like this is completely out of our reach,” says Antoinette. Anyone who wishes to make a donation, no matter how small, can pay it into the Capitec account of Ms A van der Watt, account number: 168 102 9128. They can also contact Antoinette at 071 605 3745.
