Gerda Rall has a daily struggle to maintain any quality of life and is in serious need of dialysis, as her kidney function is barely at 5% capacity. Gerda (45), her husband, Eric, and their 12-year-old son are currently living in the KwaRie Cararvan Park.
With Eric having taken an early package without medical aid and the lockdown crippling his plans to take on construction work, the Ralls are in serious need of funds to afford dialysis treatment, which costs around R1500 a session.
With Gerda needing around two sessions a week, the cost would be about R12 000 a month, which they say is out of their reach. A ‘Back a Buddy Campaign’ has been launched by friends on Facebook to help raise money for the Ralls to allow Gerda to enjoy an improved quality of life. She says her health problems started 12 years ago when her son was born prematurely.
“Doctors said it would improve and it did, but then when I turned 40, I became very sick. My kidneys were at 17% capacity and I was in a serious dip, health-wise and psychologically,” Gerda told the Courier.
Many trips followed to hospitals in Durban and locally, with Eric’s medical aid taking care of costs, but Gerda’s condition did not improve. After Eric left work in July last year, the medical aid dried up and they moved to the caravan park.
Gerda was forced to be a state patient at Dundee Hospital, and found that the care and treatment there was not of the standard she expected. She was often told to queue up in the outpatients department, even though she had been taken to casualty. “Sometimes there are no doctors to see patients too.
It is really a case of hit and miss. Be that as it may, we kept the faith and were eventually told there was nothing the doctors could do unless I went onto regular dialysis treatment.” With her kidneys unable to wash her body of toxins, the build-up causes nausea and other health implications.
“I am really fragile and it is so frustrating to be like this, as I have to be here for my husband and son.” She is on a diet of Rooibos tea and water to avoid her kidneys having to work, but she says she also battles to sleep and even walk. Gerda has previously worked at Glencoe Pre-Primary School and Crisis Centre, and says she has always enjoyed helping others.
“It is a bad thing to ask, but if Courier readers can assist somehow, it would be a ray of hope,” said Eric. Those wishing to assist can look at the ‘Back a Buddy Campaign’ on Facebook or call Eric on 082-703-6223.
Readers can also support by Gerda by clicking on the Back a Buddy Facebook page that has been created
