Please Help Dreya - Sally Fraser Thank you for giving me this opportunity to tell Dreya’s story. It’s a powerful one because no one, if they really think about it, would like to be in her shoes. And I believe, most people would like to help any way they could once they know her story… Dreya my friend of 10 years, a loving wife, amazing friend and brilliant mum of two gorgeous children, Saxon and Phoenix, came to my home two and a half years ago for my sons birthday party and told me the shocking news that she had found a lump and the doctors had confirmed it was breast cancer. It was even more scary because her youngest child was less than a year old, and her beautiful 7 year old boy were outside with their daddy when Dreya confided in me. She decided she wanted to try every natural process and was determined to fight it naturally and she really did try. But nothing worked. In a little more than two years, Dreya had used all the familys savings on naturopaths, organic foods, medicines, doctors appointments, a trip to an Equador cancer clinic, everything.. She now feels it was too far advanced to make a difference.. She slowly got skinnier and skinnier until about six months ago, she began puffing up in the belly. Her body got weaker and her tummy started growing like a baby was growing inside, and people were well meaning when they asked her when she was due to have her baby. Her nights were filled with fear and pain and sometimes literally screaming in agony and she just didn’t know what to do. She could hardly keep her food down. I walked her slowly up the stairs to her car and thought to myself that was the last time I would see her.. She was so fragile. At one stage she said to me that she; ‘at least’ wanted to stay around for a few more years so Phoenix is old enough to remember her. That statement broke my heart. Her friend Val who had late stage lung cancer had been to Germany and was now back in Coffs Harbour at home and in remission from a cancer that she was told was untreatable… Her 23cm tumour on her liver had completely shrunk and GONE. She urged Dreya, any way she could to just GO to Germany. Dreya and her husband Jan (Yarn) applied for their Superannuation, the only money they had left, to be released, so she could try and save her life. It was a paralysing wait. But good news came back, they got their Super released and after booking flights, Jan and Dreya had six days to get ready and go.. She had been talking with the doctor over there and sending blood works and samples over and he told her he thought he could help her if she could just get there. Although the treatment is nearly 20,000 a month, it was; stay or go, live or die. When she left her two adorable children with me, my husband Marcus and our three kids, Saxon (9) and Phoenix (about to turn three), she looked into my eyes, both of us knowing she may never come back again and said weakly, but passionately; “I am trusting you with my WHOLE HEART.” I will never forget those words, or those feelings for the rest of my life. I really didn’t know if she would even be allowed on the plane, as her stomach was now so big she looked more than nine months pregnant. I encouraged her to get a doctors certificate to allow her on the plane, as I thought the flight attendants would tell her such a heavily pregnant women couldn’t take such long flights. I didn’t even know if she would actually make the flight there. On 1st Oct 13, she boarded the flight and left Australia, where the doctors gave her little or no hope. But she got there!!! After taking his wife to Germany and making sure she was settled and getting great care, Jan flew back to Australia two weeks later and is living with my husband and I, our three kids and his two kids. He went straight back to work to keep helping to pay for the treatment. Within those very fragile, first four weeks of treatment, the doctors had carefully drained 8 litres of fluid from Dreya’s abdomon area. They said it was the cancer “sweating”. She had hyperthermia and low dose chemo, infusions of vitamins and minerals and the results have been nothing short of amazing.. She has reacted really well with the treatment and in only one, very emotional month her tumor markers were down by half. Six weeks later, her breast tissue has softened where it had previoulsy formed into a solid, hard mass and the cancer is literally shrivelling up. Her energy has improved and finally she has started eating without vomiting and she is finally putting on weight. Each day we are amazed when we skype speak, seeing and hearing the transformation. Dreya missed Phoenix’ third birthday and will miss Christmas but she has left them temporarily, to stay with them permanently. Dreya is left with three very large hernias from the weight of the fluid in her stomach, which the doctors are saying will cost about $15,000 Australian to remove all three. Because of her still weakened state, the size and where they are in each groin and under her belly button. They are severely painful but she cannot pay to remove them because the money is running out and she needs what little money they have left to kill the cancer once and for all!! She has less than two months worth of treatment money before there is no more left. It is mid Nov 13. She needs to stay until the end of February 14! Obviously she has to keep about $2000 to fly home again but the treatment is SO detrimental to her survival and it’s working, it would be the biggest shame to stop it before her nightmare is finally over because of something as simple as MONEY. Basically, unless we can raise funds, Dreya will have to come back to Australia mid January and leave her specialised treatment behind with three huge hernias hanging off her and worse is the fact that it could grow straight back if we don’t finish the treatment and finalise the healing. Why would we stop something that is working so brilliantly and is going to bring her back to her two precious children and adoring husband cancer free if we are willing and able? She needs to stay til the end of February to finish everything and remove the hernias. Her family is short of $35,000 Australian dollars. Jan is working six days a week, long hours, doing the best he can while I look after our five children until Dreya returns and try to raise funds. $35,000 is ‘big’ money to most, and I know there are people out there reading this who have serious money and would love to make a difference. Most of us feel the need or desire to do something that really matters.. to make a difference. Jan, Saxon and Phoenix, my husband and I, and our three children are all just happy and grateful everyday, watching her get better and we are extremley hopeful she will come home cancer free at the end of February. I would love nothing more than to tell Dreya for Christmas that she can complete her treatment and help stop her pain by removing the hernias as quickly as possible.. With your help, I believe we can do this and keep a very loving, honest and hard working family complete with their mummy for many, many years to come. I don’t want her to miss another Christmas ever! I have created a ‘mycauses’ website and so far we have raised $3400. I’m hopeful for big donations yet I’m forever grateful for the smaller ones. My friend, Nerissa, who can barely afford food some weeks donated $50.. I know how hard that must have been for her. You can help make a serious difference to an amazing family. Here is the link. Type in ‘Matena’ in the search bar at the top of the page. mycause.au/page/yarnanddreyamatenafamilyfund Thanking you in advance. Please copy paste and share. x Sally x
Posted on: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 02:02:06 +0000
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