Togo
Life-saving medical care
Helping a mom in Togo undergo surgery and chemotherapy
Health & Wellness
The Need
Four years ago, Antoinette, a widow and mother of two, had surgery to remove a lump in her breast. The surgery was successful. However, several months later, more malignant lumps appeared. After further tests, Antoinette was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. Her doctor recommended surgery and chemotherapy to save her life.
As the sole provider for her two young daughters, Antoinette’s situation was especially difficult. Her symptoms began to intensify, and she could no longer work. Overwhelmed by her diagnosis, and without the means to pay for medical treatment, she felt hopeless and defeated.
Thankfully, Antoinette’s daughter, Divine, is registered with Compassion’s sponsorship program at the local church. Pastors and centre staff became aware of the situation and reached out to Antoinette, hoping to provide some much-needed support. However, the cost of her continuing medical treatment was beyond what the church could afford on its own. In order to save Antoinette’s life, they needed help.
Our Response
Thanks to you, Antoinette began her journey to healing in February 2019, when she underwent a medical assessment to determine how far the cancer had spread. This included a chest x-ray and liver and kidney exploration. Following the results of these scans, Antoinette’s doctor cleared her to begin monthly chemotherapy treatments in March 2019. The demanding process required Antoinette to remain in hospital for several days before and after each session to prepare for treatment and manage any side effects. During Antoinette’s absence from home, church staff ensured that her daughters were safe and cared for.
By January of 2020, Antoinette had completed eight rounds of the treatment. Further scans were conducted and a sample of her breast tissue was sent for analysis to determine whether she would require a full mastectomy or should continue with chemotherapy. Amazingly, Antoinette’s scans and blood work revealed that the malignant lesions had completely disappeared! This meant that the expected mastectomy surgery would no longer be necessary.
In March 2020, Antoinette began an oral chemotherapy treatment that she will continue for the rest of her life. Because she did not need surgery, the original budget was reallocated to cover her ongoing treatment. Because of delays and challenges in care due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, this intervention was extended a further 12 months. This would also help ensure Antoinette receives proper ongoing care. A health worker from the Compassion centre has been visiting Antoinette at home at least once every month to ensure that she is continuing to take her medication without difficulty, and to provide psychological care and counselling. This support has been invaluable for Antoinette, who has struggled at times with the physical and emotional toll of her treatment. A shortage of the oral treatment in pharmacies prompted health care workers to order the treatment from abroad. Antoinette has also been seeing her oncologist for routine checkups and follow-up tests.
Activities
Medical assessment: In 2019 Antoinette was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. The doctor recommended surgery and chemotherapy to save her life. She underwent a medical assessment which included a chest x-ray and liver and kidney exploration. After reviewing the results, Antoinette’s doctor felt confident that she could handle chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy: Antoinette completed eight successful chemotherapy sessions. During each session, she stayed at the hospital for several days—before sessions to prepare her for chemotherapy and after sessions to manage the side effects.
Home visits: A Compassion centre health worker visited Antoinette at home at least once per month to provide care and support and make sure she is adhering to her treatment protocols.
New skills: Antoinette has been able to attend income-generating workshops and start her own small business selling goods at the local market.
Healthy and happy: Thanks to the care of her doctors, church pastors and staff and generous donors, Antoinette has been recovering very well. She is gaining weight, has more energy and has been able to resume work. She enjoys helping her daughters with their lessons.
Your Gift Provides...
Cancer treatment for Antoinette, including:
● 8 in-hospital chemotherapy sessions and tests
● Food and hygiene kits
● Transportation and communication costs
● Reporting
ReportA message from those your gift helped
Before this intervention, I was afraid. I thought I would lose my mother, and I lost my joy. Now that her treatment is ongoing, I am happy and everything is fine.
The care of my mother’s illness through the implementation of this project gives me hope. I am encouraged to continue my studies and become what my Lord would want me to be. Through this intervention, I have learned that God is able to heal all diseases.
It is as if I am receiving deliverance. I thank those of you who have made this possible. My grades in school are getting higher and higher and I am not shy or embarrassed among my friends.
ReportThank you for your generosity
Thanks to you, Antoinette and her son and daughter can have hope for the future. As Antoinette continues to recover her health and energy, she is returning to a more normal pace of life and is already back at work.
This journey has been a difficult one, with many challenges along the way. Over the last four years, Antoinette has spent many long days and nights in hospital, away from her loved ones. She has endured fatigue and canker sores due to the chemotherapy, as well as painful headaches that were discovered to be the result of anemia. Due to the pandemic, Antoinette also faced some challenges accessing treatment and was not permitted a support person during her appointments. The virus itself presented a new risk to her already weakened immune system.
But this precious lady has not walked through the ordeal alone. With the support of pastors and staff from the Compassion centre, along with a dedicated medical team, your donation to this initiative has given Antoinette a new lease on life. Not only has she recovered her health and energy, but she and her family have experienced the love and faithfulness of God in a profound and life-changing way.
Antoinette wants you to know how much she appreciates your support: “Words fail me to express my gratitude to the Lord, the church leaders, workers and donors,” she says. “I was very sick. I was afraid to die, but at the same time I was confused between accepting this heavy treatment and dying. I didn’t know exactly what to do. I am a widow, and I lost my job due to symptoms of the illness so I could not afford the cancer treatment cost. I bless the Lord who allowed that by the grace of God, my child was registered in this program. The church has supported me morally, spiritually and financially. It is by pure grace that I am still alive today. I thank all those who made this possible and especially the donors for their love. May our Lord bless you all!”
Thank you for supporting Antoinette and her family during this difficult time as she received vital cancer treatment. Their lives will never be the same!
ReportA message from a centre director
We give thanks to God who was able to perform a miracle through this intervention. We call it a miracle, because Antoinette was so affected both physically and morally without any hope of living before this intervention. Today, she has a smile on her face and shares her joy of living with her children and others.
This intervention has increased the church’s visibility in Antoinette’s family. She has begun to worship in our church, and she has received Christ as Lord and Saviour.
This intervention provided appropriate treatment and care for Antoinette. Now that her health has improved, she has resumed her regular activities. The benefits of the income-generating activities will be used to support her family and purchase the medication she will need for life.
I send my gratitude to the donors who funded this intervention. I bless the Lord for the lives of everyone who worked to fund this procedure. Had it not been for the compassion of God and these individuals, we would have lost Antoinette. This intervention has given this lady and her daughter the hope to live. May God bless you abundantly.