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Samoa seasonal worker with cancer needs life saving treatment

Fa’amanu Fa’amanatu in a hospital bed
Source: Samoa Global News

Sydney, AUSTRALIA — When Fa’amanu Fa’amanatu travelled to Australia seeking employment to provide for a better future for his family in Samoa, he never imagined that he would instead, be hospitalised with life threatening cancer.

As reported in an exclusive interview with Mark Riley on 7News in Sydney, Mr Fa’amanatu, 25, has Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

AML is a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells where there is rapid growth of abnormal cells that builds up in the bone marrow and blood, interfering with the body’s ability to produce blood cells.

Faamanu is pleading for help from his hospital bed in Sydney, because as a seasonal worker in Australia, he is not entitled to Medicare which could cover the needed treatment.

Doctors say Faamanu’s cancer is curable, but he would need a stem-cell transplant from his twin brother here in Samoa.

The treatment would cost $120,000 Australian dollars however, his medical coverage with the Bupa company lapsed when he was unable to work.

A spokesperson for the Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says the Department is working together with Bupa and the Samoan Government to find solutions for Mr Fa’amanatu’s treatment.

Read more at Samoa Global News