My name is Luanne Lewis from Knysna, Western Cape, South Africa. I’m writing this with a heavy, exhausted heart after years of struggle.
I was diagnosed years ago with a low-grade glioma — a brain tumour in my right parietal lobe. Since 2020, the public hospitals have refused to give me a new MRI. They repeatedly tell me it’s a “waste of time” because I’m at “end of life” and have only 10 months to live.
For six long years I have kept going back, pleading for help and a current scan, only to be dismissed again and again.
Yet here I am — still alive, still fighting every day — but my body is deteriorating rapidly while I wait.
My daily reality has become unbearable:
Seizures that come more frequently, leaving me terrified and drained
Constant, crushing headaches that never stop
Increasing weakness on my left side — I struggle to walk and can barely use my left hand
Most days I’m confined to my bed, exhausted, in pain, and losing hope
I recently saw a private neurologist, but without a fresh MRI he could only look at old scans. My worsening symptoms tell me something is changing. I urgently need a new MRI to check for tumour progression and get proper treatment before it’s too late.
Private MRIs cost between R8,000 and R18,000+ (~$494 – $1,111+ USD), plus consultations and medication — costs far beyond what I can afford alone as someone who has been pushed aside by the public system.
I’ve set this campaign goal at R30,000 (~$1,850 USD) to cover the urgent scan, specialist appointments, medication, and basic support so I can keep fighting.
For direct donations to the hospital:
You can pay directly into the Radiology Department at Life Knysna Private Hospital with my name (Luanne Lewis) clearly attached to the reference.
Radiology contact: 044 492 0701 (Garden Route Radiology)
Full campaign goal: R30,000 (~$1,850 USD)
After six years of being told I’m dying and feeling dismissed, I’m still here and still hoping for a chance. Your support could finally give me the medical answers and care that the public system has denied me since 2020. (This is not the first time I have had to get private MRIs due to issues in the public system. If required I will share the last private MRI I had.)
Even a small donation or sharing this campaign gives me strength on the darkest days. If you believe in fairness, have faced hardship yourself, or simply have compassion for someone suffering… I humbly ask for your help.
Prayer Request
Please pray for me:
That God opens the door for an urgent, clear MRI very soon
For healing and stabilisation of the tumour
For strength, peace, and relief from the constant seizures and pain
For wisdom for the doctors and favour with specialists
That the funds needed are raised quickly so I don’t have to suffer much longer
Any prayers would mean the world to me and give me hope to keep going.
Thank you from the depths of my heart.
Your kindness — whether through a donation, a share, or a prayer — could help save my life or at least improve my remaining time.
With gratitude and quiet determination,
Luanne Lewis
Western Cape, South Africa
The medical images attached are from 2011 when I had a serious brain infection. They show the area involved and my previous medical history. I do not have more recent scans because the public hospitals have refused to provide a new MRI since 2020. A current scan is what I urgently need to assess the brain tumour progression.”
