Can you believe we’re nearly celebrating Christmas? Time really does fly.
For some of us, 2022 has been the hardest year yet. My name is Melinda Restrepo, I’m a 41-year-old cancer patient being treated at Royal North Shore Hospital for an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
I am delighted to say that I’m what the NORTH Foundation fondly calls a ‘grateful patient’. This means that I’ve been so appreciative of the care that I received in hospital that I have chosen to support the NORTH Foundation. Are you a grateful patient too?
In March 2022, my life changed forever. For five months prior, I had flu-like symptoms and a mysterious chronic cough which multiple doctors failed to diagnose. Some doctors did not even want to see me in person because they thought I had COVID-19. I was given cough medicine and antibiotics which did not work. So I changed to another medical practice and found an amazing GP who did not leave a stone unturned.
He found a tumour the size of an orange in my chest. It was cancer.
What followed was the most arduous journey I’ve embarked on in my life. The treatment has involved more than 48 days at Royal North Shore Hospital, eight gruelling cycles of chemotherapy, two surgeries and immunotherapy. For both my husband Andres and I, this experience felt like going through the eye of a storm. It is scary and uncertain and just when you think you have ridden the wave, another one comes crashing down on you.
What has eased this journey has been the outpouring of love we’ve received from family and friends and the exceptional care we’ve received from the wonderful staff at the Royal North Shore Hospital. All the doctors, emergency department staff, pathologists and nurses are true champions. Every day they are under so much pressure but they never fail to treat patients like me with empathy and kindness.
If you’re grateful for the care that you or your loved ones have received at one of the hospitals within the Northern Sydney Local Health District, please consider making a gift of to support this Christmas appeal.
As I am writing this, the amazing team at Royal North Shore Hospital continues to help me heal from this disease which has turned our lives upside down. Many patients within the Northern Sydney Local Health District including myself are deeply grateful for the excellent care we continue to receive.
This is why donating to the NORTH Foundation is so important. Instead of giving staff a box of chocolates (which go straight to the waistline) or flowers (which end up wilted in the bin), please consider giving a donation that will go towards helping patients.
Wishing you love, happiness and good health for 2023 and beyond,
