Roderick Catuday needs a $150,000 deposit for treatment. Photo / Dean Purcell
A cancer-stricken immigrant has been boosted by a flood of donations to help pay for treatment.
Roderick Catuday, who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in January while waiting for his two-year work permit to be approved, needs $150,000 as a deposit for Auckland City Hospital to start
chemotherapy treatment.
Yesterday, the Herald received two more cheques from readers amounting to $1750 for Mr Catuday - who has, it is understood, already received donations amounting to nearly $12,000.
Mr Catuday said he felt "totally let down by New Zealand" after the Immigration Service received news of his illness and suspended his application and granted his wife only a one-year permit.
Only people who are here on at least a two-year work permit, besides New Zealand and Australian residents and citizens, qualify for public health funding.
But yesterday Mr Catuday said he was "totally overwhelmed by the kindness of New Zealanders", as donations continued to pour in.
His wife Emelita, who was in tears, said: "I just don't know how to thank all the people who have helped. We feel very blessed, and your readers just don't know how much their kindness means to me and my children."
Without the treatment, Mr Catuday, 42, would have just months to live, according to his doctor David Simpson.
Mr Catuday, who has three children between 12 and 15 years old, wrote to Health Minister David Cunliffe, but the minister said he couldn't help.
One donor, who did not wish to be named, said: "The amount I give is not much, but it is just to show that I am determined to give this man a chance to fight to stay alive."
Agnes Granada, Migrant Action Trust co-ordinator, said the Filipino community and others had donated more than $8000.
Another reader, Colleen Fleming, says she will start a fundraising campaign for Mr Catuday.
