Cape Town – Dale Benson’s family and friends are desperate for him to spend his final days in familiar surroundings.
Having worked in Vietnam as an English teacher, the 39-year-old Dale had to contend with joblessness when Covid-19 disrupted lives in 2020, leaving him stuck in Hanoi.
Unfortunately, worse was still to come. After months of unemployment, Dale, who had been experiencing stomach troubles and was rushed to hospital, where he underwent an operation, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Dale, who has been in Vietnam for three years, was told he would probably not survive the year.
His mother, who lives in Cape Town, is unable to go to Vietnam and a family friend, Karen Baschiera, has started a BackaBuddy page to try to raise funds to bring him home. With a target of R1 million, only about R125 000 has been raised thus far.
Dale's medical insurance has expired because he could not keep up with the payments. After operating on Dale, Baschiera told a radio station that ’’they phoned my friend and said, come fetch your son. He's got one month to live without chemo’’.
’’I am not sure yet the cost of everything involved. We have enquired about organising for him to be airlifted with a medical plane, but the cost thereof is astronomical,’’ Baschiera said in a statement.
’’He has no medical insurance as he has not been able to work for months now as a result of the virus. Also, his mother can't fly there as the borders of Vietnam is closed.
’’That's a terrible situation for any mother to be in because Vietnam is in a strict lockdown. She can't get to him, he can't get here. We are trying our best to work something out.
’’We are now looking at a flight with Singapore Airlines and a medic or doctor accompanying him. All arrangements still in progress.
’’Doctors said he should be cleared for flying Monday or Tuesday. Please help me get him home so he can get the best medical care and be with his loved ones.
’’All money left over can be used to pay it forward to someone else in need.’’
On the Hanoi Massive Community, Annie Mercer posted: ’’Any South Africans returning to South Africa in next few days with medical training? Hoping that by some miracle there's a trained medic on this group returning to SA soon that can help. Urgent help please.'
’’Thank you for such an outpouring of love and support for Dale. We are still pursuing all leads in an effort to get Dale home as safely and quickly as possible.’’
IOL