Mother of two battling cancer needs help

Though weary, Natoya Gayle is extremely grateful to be alive.

The 39-year-old mother of two has to go to the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) every three weeks to receive a dose of the cancer-fighting medicine herceptin. She is stressed that she is unable to come up with the money needed to undergo radiation treatment and is seeking the public's assistance. She said she was given a referral from KPH to start the treatment at St Joseph's Hospital this month but the facility's machine is broken. An estimate from the Radiation Oncology Centre of Jamaica puts the cost of treatment there at approximately J$3 million.

"Normally, I would try to do things on my own but one of the reasons why I urgently want to do this radiation is for my children. I don't want my son, especially, to grow up without both parents because his father died from COVID-19 earlier this month. I want to stay alive for my children so I am fighting to beat this situation with all that I have. I am just asking the public to please help me out," she said.

Gayle, who worked as a chef, said she lived a normal life until last October when she discovered a lump in her left breast. Test results revealed she had breast cancer.

"The doctor said it was best to just remove the breast, and thankfully, when I was working I had taken a critical health insurance and I got the payout of little over a $1 million, and that was what I used to do the breast removal surgery in February of this year. After I remove my breast it was revealed that the cancer had gotten worse and I now have stage three breast cancer," Gayle said.

She underwent two rigorous rounds of chemotherapy with the assistance of a GoFundMe account that had raised little over US$3,000. But her biggest wish is to now start radiation therapy.

"I have family members who usually assist me and I am really grateful. I don't know when the machine will get fix and time is against me right now, and I just want to stay alive for my children," she said.

Persons wishing to assist Natoya Gayle may contact her at (876)305-0888.