Expat woman with thyroid cancer seeks community help in UAE
Stranded in Ajman with an expired passport and no family around, woman in dire straits
Dubai: A 59-year-old unemployed expatriate from Kazakhstan — with an expired passport and visa, living in Ajman — has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and metastasis that will cost Dh200,000 for a surgery and prolonged treatment schedule involving chemotherapy/radiation.
With no finances and family around, she has appealed to good Samaritans in the UAE to come to her aid.
Hoarse whisper
Struggling to speak in barely a hoarse whisper, Svetlana Timofeeva, who lives alone, told Gulf News: “I was diagnosed with a malignant papillary tumour in the right lobe of my thyroid gland in December 2021. Doctors have recommended immediate surgery, but I have no idea how to pay for it as I am struggling to live here with only my kind neighbours to help me.”
Timofeeva, who used to work for a Russian school prior to COVID-19, lost her job when her school closed down during the pandemic. She had some court cases regarding minor bank debt repayments, so her visa renewal was stuck. Timofeeva also added that she was estranged from her husband who now lives in another emirate.
Stranded with an invalid passport and an expired visa, Timofeeva is now stuck in the UAE and much of her treatment has been delayed owing to lack of funds and her immigration status.
Immediate help
Some close friends and community members are trying to come to the aid of Timofeeva.
“At an early stage, the cancer could have been cured with immediate surgery. Now, however, she has developed a secondary cancer and she requires detailed diagnostics and a proper treatment protocol to address the composite issues. With no funds, it has been very difficult as many hospitals have turned down her request. We really need help to get Timofeeva to a good government hospital in Dubai where she can be operated upon. We also need the community to come forward and help with funds for her surgery and later with her passport and visa issues. She has no family here and is totally dependent on help from community members,” said one volunteer.
Timofeeva said: “God bless all those who are trying to help me. I have no family, no finances and only hoping for a miracle.”