What happened to Mdm Lee?

Mdm Lee, 67, is the only adult in Singapore with a rare medical condition called FGF23-related hypophosphatemia Hormone induced Osteomalacia tumour. This extremely rare medical condition causes immobility due to bone pain, muscle twitching, nerve sensitivity, and weakness. 

As treatment was not available for her condition, Mdm Lee has been battling this disease for over ten years and is bedridden. She is receiving palliative care to improve her quality of life and relies on prescribed morphine and painkillers to manage the pain in her bones and nerves. This further compromises on her poor immune system and causes severe side effects including hallucinations, stomach discomfort, appetite loss and dizziness, making it unsafe for her to be left unattended to.

“For the past 10 years, it pains us everyday to see Mom suffering from so much pain on her own, not wanting to worry us. There has been no treatment for her until the medication became available in 2021. It is our last hope to help her.”, Mdm Lee’s daughter told the caseworkers.

How can you help?

Mdm Lee’s family hopes to raise ($23,833 x 12 months) S$286,000 for the 12 month Burosumab Treatment. This is a treatment that uses a non-standard drug, hence it is not eligible for mainstream funding or subsidies. With the treatment, Mdm Lee no longer needs to rely on a daily dosage of morphine to manage her pain and her quality of life can improve.

More about Mdm Lee / Appeal from Mdm Lee’s family: 

My mom’s condition did improve from using a wheelchair to using a walking frame to assist her daily living after she had her FGF 23 tumour removed years ago (around 2008 – 2012). But it was short-lived. Mom’s condition deteriorated yet again when the tumour metastasis to the liver. 

Unlike other cancer-inducing tumours that can lead to loss of life, her tumour leaves her with a quality of life that is less desirable – Mom relies heavily on morphine, is bed-bound and faces common complications that come with age, like contractures, circulation and respiratory problems.

After consulting with an endocrinologist, he told us that the only option we could consider was the Burosumab Treatment because surgery cannot remove mom’s tumour. This treatment will be lifelong and is an estimated monthly expense of $23,800. 

We have opted for a treatment plan instead, even if the results might not be as desired – we will only know the result and outcome if we try. As a family, we have tried many ways to seek financial assistance to lighten the financial load. Unfortunately, even after tapping on the hospital’s endowment fund for a one-time assistance of up to $30,000, the cost of the treatment is still too high for us to bear. In addition, my father is a retiree, and I can only do part-time stints as I’m still a student.

We’ve exhausted all other means and will have to rely on your kindness and generosity to help give my mother a chance to live a little better. 

Best regards,
Family of Mdm Lee

From Ray of Hope

Mdm Lee’s campaign has been verified by Ray of Hope case managers. We have been in direct contact with Mdm Lee’s primary doctor in Singapore and have also sighted doctors letters stating the above mentioned treatment options 

Please donate generously to give Mdm Lee hope and a second chance at life. 100% of your donation will be used for the treatment.

**********

FAQ

How will the funds to the campaign be used and where are the funds going?

The donations made through the campaign page go directly to Ray of Hope. 

Ray of Hope will handle the donations received and pay for the cost of the treatment.

What happens if there are insufficient funds for Mdm Lee’s treatment?

Funds raised is for a one-year treatment for Mdm Lee and full payment has to be made upfront. In the event that the full amount has not been raised, Ray of Hope will provide an option for refunds to all donors within a reasonable timeframe, minus any administrative costs incurred during the refund process. These admin costs are incurred  from the payment gateway, not Ray of Hope.

What happens if the funds are raised, but Mdm Lee passes on before receiving the treatments?

In this unfortunate situation, if the funds have not been transferred to the hospital for the respective treatments, Ray of Hope will provide an option for refunds to donors within a reasonable timeframe, minus any administrative costs that were incurred during the refund process. These admin costs are from the payment gateway and not from Ray of Hope.

How can I donate?

All donations shall be made via this campaign page which gives you the option to donate via Credit Card or via Paynow by scanning the unique QR code generated for the campaign.

Kindly refrain from directly donating to ROH’s UEN via Paynow as we are unable to track your donations to the campaign you wish to donate.

Does Ray of Hope take a cut or charge an admin fee for running this campaign?

Ray of Hope does not take a cut from donations nor charge an admin fee for helping our beneficiaries. We even cover the bank and credit card charges out of pocket so that 100% of your donation goes to the campaigns. These fees can come up to 3% of the overall campaign target. 

However, as donors, you may choose to give to Ray of Hope so we can continue to help more beneficiaries like Elton at the checkout page. This donation is optional.