Over $55K raised to help Zim woman diagnosed with rare form of cancer

LONDON - Over £37 000 ($55 700) has been raised to help a Zimbabwean woman, Tambu Makinzi, who was recently diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Chondrosarcoma and needs over £30 000 for medical treatment.

In the biggest demonstration of the power of social media to date, a GoFund Me campaign run by UK based lawyer Rumbi Bvunzawabaya and Dr Brighton Chireka with the assistance of Tambu's siblings in the UK raised £28 372.

Another campaign by the founder of Kedha TV, comedian Marlon Micheal Lawrence has raised US$13 500 (£8900). Using his popular Zvirikufaya na Keda Facebook page, Lawrence has been able to drive the campaign from his base in Canada.

Although 27-year-old Tambu is based in Cape Town, South Africa, she has been told the type of cancer she has requires specialist surgery. Enter Dr Brighton Chireka who managed to connect Tambu with Professor Iain Hutchinson who is the Chief Executive of Saving Faces in England.

Hutchinson has been Consultant Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon St Bartholomew's, The Royal London Hospital & Homerton Hospitals since 1989.

The founder of the UK Oral Cancer Research Group has offered to do the operation for free but Tambu needs to pay for the theatre, two weeks in hospital, use of intensive care unit and the fee for the neurologist and the anaesthetist.

Donations are being accepted through the Go Fund Me Campaign

http://www.gofundme.com/Help-Tambu

or via the Kedha TV Go Fund Me Campaign

http://www.gofundme.com/kedhatv