Moses was a happily married father of eight children, working as a security guard. But five years ago, he noticed a swelling on his head which has led to a journey with cancer that his shattered his life.
Treatments at his local health facility made no difference, it was only when a biopsy was taken at a nearby hospital that Moses was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. Moses was referred to a major hospital for surgery and radiotherapy, but at 200km from his home, he couldn’t afford the cost of travelling there or the cost of the treatment. Without treatment his tumour has gradually developed into a severe wound, the cancer has spread and his health has deteriorated.
With Moses unable to work and support his family, his wife has moved away with the children to live with grandparents. Moses now lives with his sister Elizabeth who has given up her job as a home-help to care for him. Elizabeth is a dedicated carer, but the full-time responsibility is taking its toll; she is exhausted and lives in constant worry about her brother’s health and their financial situation.
Palliative care nurses have been supporting Moses and his family every step of the way with holistic care. The palliative care team is over-stretched but visits regularly to provide practical support to Elizabeth so that she knows how to care for her brother; how to clean and dress his wound and administer his medication. They are grateful that they no longer pay out for regular trips to their local hospital for wound dressing; one less thing to worry about. Palliative care nurses also provide the pair with emotional support and counselling, and Elizabeth gets a much-needed break.
