[COMMUNICATED]
Readers around the globe were moved this week by the tragic story and appalling photos of young Israeli mother of 5, Chaya Maryan.
Shortly after giving birth to her youngest child, Chaya was uncharacteristically lethargic. Doctors misdiagnosed her as simply being “depressed.” When the “depression” did not resolve itself she went for further testing and learned that she had stage 4 cancer.
Since then, the Maryan family has been thrown into a state of chaos. Chaya uses all of her strength to endure treatments, and her husband has left his job to take care of the children. She has now wasted away to a frighteningly thin and pale shadow of her former self. Doctors recently gave the family news which both thrilled and terrified them: They have a choice.
There is an advanced treatment possible which would improve Chaya’s situation in an extreme way and may even save her life. Tragically, however, it is much more expensive than the poor family can afford.
“It hurts to know that if she were born into a more comfortable situation she would have what she needs right now,” said one reader. “It’s almost like being poor has sentenced her to death.”
Many who have seen Chaya’s story, are determined to make sure this dark premonition is not true. Hundreds have begun to donate to help the Maryan family.
In a tragic turn, Chaya has now been returned to the hospital and is not doing well. The need for the advanced treatment option is more urgent than ever. Despite the moving generosity of strangers, the family is still only halfway to their financial goal. In this case of life and death, it is a situation of “all or nothing.”
As Chaya lays weakly in her Shaarei Tzedek hospital bed, her family watches the campaign’s progress with bated breath. In these fragile moments, they choose to believe that anything is possible.
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