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Kivamwo

Simon Kivamwo, chairman of the Association of Journalists Against AIDS in Tanzania, has been battling colon cancer since 2012. While the government cancer hospital provides free treatment, it lacks supplies, forcing Simon to pay out of pocket for chemotherapy drugs. His condition is worsening as he can no longer afford treatment. He is asking for financial support from colleagues and friends to cover the costs of 10 additional rounds of chemotherapy, which would cost 5 million Tanzanian shillings, in hopes of determining next steps in his care.

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Audra Love
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14K views1 page

Kivamwo

Simon Kivamwo, chairman of the Association of Journalists Against AIDS in Tanzania, has been battling colon cancer since 2012. While the government cancer hospital provides free treatment, it lacks supplies, forcing Simon to pay out of pocket for chemotherapy drugs. His condition is worsening as he can no longer afford treatment. He is asking for financial support from colleagues and friends to cover the costs of 10 additional rounds of chemotherapy, which would cost 5 million Tanzanian shillings, in hopes of determining next steps in his care.

Uploaded by

Audra Love
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
Download as pdf or txt
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Fight Colon Cancer with Simon Kivamwo

with time, as he was spending sleepless


nights anguishing in severe abdominal
pains.

Dear colleagues and friends


Some of you might be aware of the
ailment of our colleague and friend,
Adolf Simon Kivamwo, Chairman of the
Association of Journalists Against AIDS
in Tanzania (AJAAT) who was diagnosed
with colon cancer back in 2012.
He has been bravely battling the
disease since then by attending clinics
at Ocean Road Cancer Institute (OCRI)
in Dar es Salaam. He was then put on
chemotherapeutic cocktail doses for
some time. The medication was meant
to reverse the spread of the disease as
doctors contemplated further management upon consultation with the
patient.
The government-owned hospital
normally takes care of cancer patients
free of charge. However, due to lack of
resources, the hospital has been
receiving little or no medical supplies
from Medical Stores Department,
(which is now common in the government these days). Therefore, most
patients are compelled to purchase
drugs from the market and take them
to OCRI for application.

When news broke out that Simon was in


a dying bed, his friends from the media
background through Facebook raised
some funds which was used to take him
back to OCRI. He was told to undergo
CT-Scan at a private hospital as well as
other medical check ups to determine
the extent of the disease.
That was the case with Simon, who was
spending at least 500,000/- every two
weeks for chemotherapy related drugs.
He did so by selling his personal
belongings and contributions from
friends and well-wishers, because he is
not on any medical insurance scheme.
Unfortunately, three years down the
line, Simon is still ailing. His condition is
getting worse by the day. He is now
bed-ridden at his Mbezi based home,
only being driven to Ocean Road after
every two weeks.
But of late, Simon has started skipping
doses due to lack of funds! Simons
symptoms have gradually grown worse

Also, the media colleagues were determined to seek government intervention,


including taking him to India for further
treatment. The Ministry of Health was
more than ready to take up the matter
after consultation with the Oncologists
at OCRI.
However, after the CT Scan results
came out, it was advised that taking
him to India was a bit untimely now,
may be after subjecting him to 10
consecutive doses of heavier Chemotherapy, starting from Monday 20thMay.
It is only after finishing these doses that
some other sound medical decisions will
be arrived at. But 10 doses is yet
another burden to Simon, as that would

cost about 5m/-.


This is why we are writing to you as
colleagues and friends for your financial
support. This is the same Simon
Kivamwo who was on permanent and
pensionable employment at The Guardian Limited but had to quit in order to
consolidate AJAAT. As you all know,
AJAAT has been an influential partner in
AIDS response through training of
journalists and publicity. This is Simon
who is committed to spend all of life in
the fight against HIV/Aids through the
media, even though he is not living with
the virus!
We will greatly appreciate your financial
support, and please send whatever you
are blessed with through cell phone
numbers below:
Simon Kivamwo0767300219.
For further information kindly use the
contacts below:
Benjamin Thompson
Email:[email protected]
Whatsapp, sms or phone:
0787303067,0767383067

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