Supporters raise the £27,000 needed for brain tumour treatment

Monday 10 April 2017

A crowdfunding page set up to help pay for a 40-year-old father's cancer treatment has raised more than £24,000 in just over a week with other donations helping to reach the total amount.

The money's needed so Rafal Tabor can go to Germany for proton therapy to treat a malicious brain tumour.

Ewa Modzelewski set up the crowdfunding page last Thursday despite only knowing Monika, Rafal's wife, through mutual friends. She never thought they would raise so much money that quick. Over £24,000 were raised on the page but various donations from a carwash, raffle tickets, a barbecue, a car boot sale and an underwater bike race helped with the collection. The winner team at Ernie's Tug-of-War last Sunday also kindly gave £500, half of their prize, to the Polish United team, who was playing for Rafal and came second. 

Ewa told Express: "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 and Monika with their girls, Maia (5) and Elisa (18 months).

During the past week, Ewa has been in daily contact with Monika and Rafal to keep them updated with the progress. She also passed on the best wishes people keep sending. The couple, both from Poland have been living in Jersey for the past 11 years. They are currently in Germany awaiting the start of the treatment after briefly returning to Poland so that their families could look after their two little girls, 5-year-old Maia and 18-month-old Elisa. 

Ewa explains: "They are absolutely shocked and so thankful. We had a £1,000 by the end of the first day, they couldn't believe it! Not all those people knew Rafal or Monika but they gave money anyway. This is fantastic."

Rafal was diagnosed with a malicious glioma last month after feeling numbness in his right hand and leg. Doctors in Southampton and in Poland refused to operate as the risk of him being permanently physically or mentally impaired was too big. They even refused to do a biopsy on the 6cm long tumour.

The family found a new hope when they heard about the treatment in Germany. Unfortunately, the cost of the proton therapy, which uses highly charged protons particles to destroy cancer cells is too expensive for the family to afford, especially since they also have to find accommodation for the duration of the treatment.