A SOWETO cancer patient whose medical aid turned down her application for chemotherapy treatment has died.
Nthabiseng Peete, 39, died of colon and liver cancer at Brenthurst Clinic in Johannesburg on Saturday after battling cancer since 2006.
Two months ago, Sowetan highlighted Peete's plight after she made several attempts to get Erbitux, a chemotherapy treatment. The former teacher's medical aid, government employees fund Gems, refused to cover treatment.
At the time, Gems said Erbitux did not guarantee a cure.
"Erbitux is an expensive biological agent, which like many other biological agents, is simply too expensive to be considered at the prescribed minimum benefit level of care," a Gems spokesperson said.
Peete's doctor, Malik Gulzar, who helped her apply for the Erbitux treatment, said Peete was put on treatment that relieved her pain.
Peete is survived by her two children, aged 13 and 7.
Woman dies of cancer after being denied chemotherapy
A SOWETO cancer patient whose medical aid turned down her application for chemotherapy treatment has died.
Nthabiseng Peete, 39, died of colon and liver cancer at Brenthurst Clinic in Johannesburg on Saturday after battling cancer since 2006.
Two months ago, Sowetan highlighted Peete's plight after she made several attempts to get Erbitux, a chemotherapy treatment. The former teacher's medical aid, government employees fund Gems, refused to cover treatment.
At the time, Gems said Erbitux did not guarantee a cure.
"Erbitux is an expensive biological agent, which like many other biological agents, is simply too expensive to be considered at the prescribed minimum benefit level of care," a Gems spokesperson said.
Peete's doctor, Malik Gulzar, who helped her apply for the Erbitux treatment, said Peete was put on treatment that relieved her pain.
Peete is survived by her two children, aged 13 and 7.
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