Bills & expensesMedical & healthUrgent
Cataract surgery for Mark: covering what insurance won't
After a large ovarian cyst, Mark was cleared for cataract surgery, but the bill is more than we can manage.
🇿🇦 2009, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa1,601 views
Mark was diagnosed with a large ovarian cyst in July. The surgeon at Johannesburg Community Hospital recommended cataract surgery, and He is scheduled for September. The hospital's financial office gave us a written estimate of $1,200, and after what the public health scheme will pay we're still $950 short.
my brother has been in and out of Johannesburg Community Hospital since July. The doctors say a large ovarian cyst will get worse without cataract surgery. We have emptied our savings and borrowed from relatives, but the estimate of $1,200 is more than we can find.
While we wait, Mark struggles with daily life and can't lift anything heavy. His family has taken turns caring for him, and I've cut my own work hours to be there.
Recovery is expected to take about 3 weeks. During that time Mark won't be able to lift anything heavy, so the costs keep growing.
The money goes straight to the treatment bills, and I'll share the invoices as they're paid so you can see exactly what your gift did.
Where the $950 goes:
• Physiotherapy sessions: $190
• Travel and lodging for the family: $115
• Hospital stay (2 nights): $520
• Pre-operative tests and imaging: $125
Thank you so much.
- due date
- 2026-09-20
- bill type
- Hospital invoice
Updates from Nalini
Quick update: $319 raised so far (34%). I met with the hospital and confirmed the amounts. Receipts coming as soon as I have them.
We're at 12% thanks to 7 of you. the plan for travel and lodging for the family is now scheduled. More news soon.
- Nirali A. Gaikwad 🇮🇳 · $20
- Mikael Larsson 🇸🇪 · $36
- Anonymous 🇮🇳 · $10
- Arianna T. Palmer 🇬🇧 · $25
“Hope it all works out. Thought of Mark all day after reading this. - Birmingham”
- Biniam Tesfaye Kebede 🇪🇹 · $5
- Iván L. Bravo 🇦🇷 · $4
- Philipp Philipp Roth 🇩🇪 · $10
“Sending love. My mother told me about this one. - Dortmund”
- Vilai Rungnapa Kaewkla 🇹🇭 · $10
- Isaac B. McDonald 🇬🇧 · $10
- Grace T. Wright 🇦🇺 · $5
- María E. Guerrero 🇪🇸 · $25
- Osama Hamza Trabelsi 🇸🇦 · $10
- Sharmin Sathi Barua 🇬🇧 · $100
- Dinusha Yashodha Gunawardena 🇱🇰 · $43.50
- Wegayehu Legesse 🇪🇹 · $25
- Serhiy Andrei Nikolaev 🇷🇺 · $5
- Rajeshwari E. Raju 🇮🇳 · $50
- Yogesh N. Varadarajan 🇮🇳 · $25
“Be well. Thought of Mark all day after reading this. - Pune”
- Moumita Howlader 🇮🇳 · $10
- Hyun-jun Chang-min Shin 🇰🇷 · $5
“Get well soon. Thought of Mark all day after reading this. - Seoul”
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Hope things get better soon, Nalini. I've been in a tough spot myself and it does get easier. Blessings.
wishing Mark a smooth procedure and a full recovery. We had a similar scare last year, I know what it feels like. Greetings from Alcalá de Henares.
thanks for sharing this, Nalini. It takes guts to ask. Well done. Read this on the bus and kept thinking about it all day. Thinking of Johannesburg!
Sending strength, Nalini. Looking forward to the next update. Love from Nashik.
Hope things get better soon, Nalini. I hope things turn around soon. The breakdown of costs made it easy to trust.
Hope it all works out, Nalini. It takes guts to ask. Well done. We lost years of savings to something like this so I get it.
Thanks for sharing this, Nalini. I hope things turn around soon. Our whole street has been following this since the weekend. Blessings.
Thanks for sharing this, Nalini. Shared it with a few friends. Read this on the bus and kept thinking about it all day.
Sending good thoughts, Nalini. It takes guts to ask. Well done. Please keep us posted. Thinking of Johannesburg.
Hope things get better soon, Nalini. Look after yourselves too, caregivers need rest. We had a similar scare last year, I know what it feels like. Take care
good luck, Nalini. I hope things turn around soon!
Thinking of you and your family, Nalini. Look after yourselves too, caregivers need rest. God bless!
Take care, Nalini. I work in healthcare and wanted you to know people are on your side. My daughter saw me on my phone and now she wants to give her pocket money. Thinking of Johannesburg.