Fundraiser for Tang resident amid lung cancer battle
by Kevin O'Neill
Just over a year ago, life was fairly rosy for Tang resident Bogusia Nawara.
Having moved to the scenic surroundings of the South Westmeath village some three years before, her little boy (Markus) had turned three-years-old. She and her partner, Sebastien, were in a pretty good place – both physically and emotionally.
But then everything turned on its head. Bogusia (42), originally from Poland and living in Ireland for 17 years, started suffering heavy flu-like symptoms. She dealt with whatever came her way but, slowly, it became clear that the symptoms were not going away.
After a few visits to her GP, she was sent for an x-ray at Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar.
When the results returned, it was the worst possible news for Bogusia and her family. She was diagnosed with stage 4 ROS1 positive non-small cell lung cancer (adenocarcinoma) with bone metastases.
Devastated, Bogusia struggled to get her head around it. As a lifelong non-smoker and advocate for healthy living, the diagnosis was almost impossible to believe.
"I was in a state of shock, to be honest," Bogusia told the Westmeath Independent, as she embarks on a GoFundMe fundraising campaign aimed at extending the amount of time she will have with her beloved son, Markus.
"I have always lived a healthy, active life. I love yoga and exercise, and the diagnosis came completely out of the blue and turned everything upside down," she added.
At present, Bogusia is receiving very specific targeted therapies aimed at slowing disease progression, managing bone symptoms, and extending overall survival. She is also on medication and chemotherapy, she said, could be needed in the next stages of her treatment.
She is feeling good at the moment, she said. But is also exploring every option available to have many more years with her son. To this end, the GoFundMe campaign, entitled, 'Still here, Still fighting, Still needed' has been set-up to enable her to potentially seek "more specific medication and treatments" in the UK and/or Germany.
At time of writing, the GoFundMe page had only been set-up for four days, yet it had already raised more than €5,500.
Bogusia wanted to publicly thank everyone who has contributed to the fund, and she also expressed gratitude to her family, friends and the local community for their support since her diagnosis.
Determinedly, she said: "I am not ready to leave. I am full of life, full of love for my child, and determined to keep fighting.
"My child is still so small. I am currently undergoing active treatment and doing everything possible to continue my care and improve my chances.
"We are now seeking help to access further therapies and treatment options that offer hope, but come with significant costs that are beyond what we can manage as a family.
"This is not just about treatment - it is about time. It is about watching my child grow up, being there for the moments still to come, and not being taken away too soon.
"Every bit of support, whether a donation or simply sharing my story, means more than I can ever put in words. It gives me strength on the hardest days, hope when things feel overwhelming, and the possibility of more time with my family."
* To contribute to the GoFundMe appeal for Bogusia and her family, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/still-here-still-fighting-still-needed