Father-of-two loses fight against brain tumour

Thursday 25 January 2018

A 40-year-old father-of-two has now passed away after losing his battle against a malignant brain tumour. Islanders had raised more than £27,000 for Rafal Tabor to help with specialist treatment.

Mr Tabor was diagnosed with a serious tumour in March after feeling numbness in his right hand and leg - but doctors in Southampton and in Poland didn't want to operate on the 6cm long tumour as the risk of him being permanently physically or mentally impaired was too big.

The family had hoped that proton therapy in Germany, which uses highly charged protons particles to destroy cancer cells, could have helped Rafal.

While it was too expensive for the family to afford, islanders rallied behind them and raised over £27,000 through donations, carwashes, raffle tickets, a barbecue, a car boot sale and an underwater bike race. Over 500 people donated helping raise an impressive £24,000 in just a week.

Ewa Modzelewski who set up the crowdfunding page despite only knowing Monika, Rafal's wife, through mutual friends, said at the time: "It's unbelievable, I am speechless. I knew people in Jersey were keen to help, but to raise that much in such a short time is amazing. I can't get my head around it. This shows that there are more kind people than unkind ones and that we can all help each other when we are in need." 

Pictured: Rafal with his youngest daughter Elisa.

Sadly, the treatment wasn't enough and Rafal died on Wednesday. Originally from Poland, he had been living in Jersey for the past 11 years with his wife Monika. The couple had two little girls, five-year-old Maia and 18-month-old Elisa. 

Writing on the crowdfunding page, Rafal's friends described him having a lot of energy and "ants in his pants," as well as being a father of two wonderful daughters.