DURBAN – A KwaZulu-Natal mother is facing every parent's worst nightmare as her 24-year-old daughter, Caitlyn Micholson, battles stage 4 metastatic melanoma and desperately needs life-saving immunotherapy.
With only 5% of the required R1.3 million raised, Caitlyn has made a heart-wrenching plea to her mother, Tamarin Nieuwoudt: "Mom, please don't let me die, I don't want to die."
Nieuwoudt, overwhelmed with emotion, shared her anguish: "Her biggest thing now is not dying; she keeps telling me, 'Mom, please don't let me die, I don't want to die'. What do you do in that situation as a parent when you have gone every avenue that you can think of with no win?"
Micholson's condition took a turn for the worse in December, leaving her bedridden. The immunotherapy she requires is not available in public hospitals, leaving her family scrambling to raise the necessary funds.
Micholson's journey with cancer began in 2021 when she was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma at Wentworth Hospital. Tragically, the cancer has since spread to her brain, making the need for treatment even more urgent.
Nieuwoudt explained that R1.3 million is needed for the first course of immunotherapy treatment, which would last for a year. "But me being the average South African with no medical aid, we can't afford this. It's frustrating to know that the medicine is there, but I'm sitting and watching my child die because I can't afford it. Knowing that the medicine is there is heartbreaking."
Nieuwoudt, who works in administration at an insurance company, has been working from home to care for her daughter. She is grateful for the understanding and support of her employer. "My employers have been extremely understanding and accommodating so far."
In December, the family travelled to Gauteng in hopes of enrolling Micholson in a clinical trial, but they were told that she had too many tumours in her brain to qualify. "We came back from Joburg, and she climbed into bed and hasn't got out of bed since then. She stopped eating as she was vomiting all the time. We can reach that R1.3 million… It's not too late yet; we can still save her," Nieuwoudt pleaded.
Despite the immense challenges, the family remains united and determined to fight for Micholson's life. They live by a mantra: a positive life, positive healing, and lots of prayers.
Nieuwoudt is grateful for the strong support system she has. "I have an extremely good support system at the moment. I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have that."
Despite her pain and suffering, Micholson's spirit remains unbroken. "Even though she is in pain, the Catie we all know is still there. She still jokes. The other day I was alone with her, and I was going to change her, and I said, 'Cookie Lookie, I'm on my ace today." She opened her one eye and looked me and said, 'Ace Ventura'. That is who Catie has always been," Nieuwoudt fondly recalled.
The family is urging the public to support Micholson's Back a Buddy fundraiser and help them reach the R1.3 million target. Every contribution, no matter how small, can make a difference in saving her life. The family believes that with the help of the community, they can raise the funds needed to provide Micholson with the life-saving immunotherapy she desperately needs. They are clinging to hope and praying for a miracle.
