Eloise needs our help
The fight against cancer goes on. This disease has plunged its claws into a young, remarkable woman who now needs the community she served for so long.
Eloise Jonker is only 40 years old, for others it is the prime of their lives, for Eloise it is a daily battle to survive.
She was diagnosed with skeletal metastase cancer in 2007 and has undergone a double mastectomy. Eloise spent two months in hospital.
In 2012 and 2013 Eloise again was admitted to hospital after not feeling well. Things took a turn for the worst in the beginning of this year when she developed nemothoraz-hemothorax in her lungs and ended up in the Intensive Care Unit for an extended time. Eloise receives radiation and chemotherapy. She needs frail care and is dependent on oxygen. Her movements are also restricted because of osteoporosis.
But who is this woman who has played such a huge role in eMalahleni?
Eloise works at the Department of Health Services as a Forensic Pathology Officer. A position she took up in 2007, the year wherein she had the double mastectomy. She is also a trained paramedic.
She is the one who receives a loved one that died because of unnatural causes and she deals with post mortems on a daily basis.
In two years, more than 400 unnatural deaths are handled. It requires a very dedicated person to handle this occupation most of us would avoid.
Eloise would never traumatise a family further and she took special care cleaning up bodies of the deceased before their family was allowed to say goodbye.
Her husband, Michael, shared a little bit about the woman he married in 1996 after meeting her on an accident scene in Wonderfontein.
“Eloise is unique. I remember her parents telling me she refused to wear dresses. She even went so far and sold some of her dresses to buy ice-cream for her and her two siblings, Willa and Helen,” Michael said.
From a young age Eloise cared for others. She looked after children free of charge and used her pocket money to buy the young ones milk.
“She pretends to be so strong, but I know my wife and I know she needs us more now than ever before,” Michael said.
The couple has two sons, Francois and Regardt, who have difficulty understanding why their mommy is so sick.
The long drawn out medical treatment has placed a financial burden on her family.
There are several fundraising projects lined up to alleviate the financial burden and also to improve the quality of Eloise’s life. These fundraisers are a colleague orientated initiative.
A fund was established “We are asking the public to support the fight against cancer and at the same time support our colleague who is battling this disease. Every contribution will make a difference,” colleagues of Eloise said.
Contact 072 213 5696 if you wish to pledge your support.
