I wasn’t originally going to post this on the Afterword, because it isn’t related to music, books, TV, Richard Thompson, progressive-rock, etc. Plus, in these times, we *all* have friends in difficulties of one sort or another – and there’s only so much any of can do.
But on reflection, it’s a friend in need, a long way from home and it’s potentially life-changing… so I’ll just leave the link here and if you want to share it somewhere or contribute a small sum, then great.
In brief: Veronika is from Slovakia, and is a massage wizard. She has lived/worked in Belfast for a few years, but has only one relative in the UK. She very recently married a fellow mainland European in Belfast, who was also in Belfast more or less alone, but who has relatives in Scotland. Veronika was diagnosed with a brain tumour late last year – and moved to Scotland a few weeks ago, permanently, with her husband (both giving up their jobs), for two reasons: (1) to get surgery with one of the best UK surgeons for this condition in February; (2) to stay with her husband’s relatives while recuperating, which may take months.
I heard from Veronika today that both of them have just been through Covid, and this has affected her husband’s start date for a new job (now, April).
Veronika is a wonderful person – a very positive soul, no complainer, and she didn’t ask for help. But she humbly accepted my offer to start a Go Fund Me campaign a few weeks ago. My immediate circle of friends have been terrific, but I haven’t shared it more widely than my own Facebook page until now.
I’m in awe of anyone who moves to a new country and learns that language – let alone being terrific at the job they do. If that person falls seriously ill in that new country with a very limited support network… Scary.
As usual, the URL didn’t post… Here it is:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/veronika-zajacova-gerganov-surgery-recovery-fund?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cf%20share-flow-1&fbclid=IwAR32pI2FjzDeaOIWhFGJR-CGqqDPYO3lfPXjTvWdBjtxkaryClpKGbvmPAo
Come on folks, chuck in a fiver. If our Colin says she deserves a helping hand, that’s good enough for me. Hang in there, Veronika.
Thank you Vulpmeister (and others here) 🙂
Marvellous that the fund has got where it has so far – now is the time for anyone who’s just flogged off those unwanted James Last boxed sets that their parents gave them for Christmas to dig into the cash and bung a fiver to Veronika’s rainy-day pot.
@Colin-H : how are things with Veronika? Did she get her surgery, after the covid-related postponement?
Things are positive, Fitter. I hear from Veronika pretty often and I was waiting to get a reply on how much I can say publicly before posting. In brief, her condition has stabilised – has, amazingly, remained stable more or less since moving to Scotland, the point of which was to access the best surgeon. The first few months were tense – Covid delays to see the consultant, get necessary scans over a period of time, etc. But then the lack of ‘movement’ became a glimmer of hope. So the operation, and all its risks, are in abeyance for the time being. She’s become very zen about it. So Veronika has not touched the funds raised – it’s in reserve for the period when/after the operation happens.
Fingers crossed that the signs of hope are well founded. Please give her my best wishes (I appreciate that she doesn’t know me from Adam, but all the same…)
I will – and she is, I promise, grateful for all the support!