Laylah Solomon’s skin cancer surgery crowdfunding campaign began with a difficult admission: she needed help, and she needed it quickly. After being diagnosed with two invasive nodular basal cell carcinomas on both sides of her collarbone and upper chest, Laylah was told she needed urgent wide local excision surgery with a plastic surgeon.
Because the cancer extended deeper into the skin and tissue, the procedure would also involve reconstruction or skin grafting.
Without medical aid, and with the public hospital route likely meaning a long wait before even an initial consultation, Laylah booked her surgery for the 24th of April and turned to her community and BackaBuddy.
In one month, her campaign raised R31 803, reaching 106% of its R30,000 goal, with 46 donors helping her move closer to the surgery and medical care she needed.
A Diagnosis No One Plans For
Laylah described the moment as emotionally and financially overwhelming. As a mom of three, the diagnosis was not only about her own health. It was about doing what she could to get treatment quickly, recover properly, and keep showing up for her children.
The funds raised through her BackaBuddy campaign were needed for the real costs around surgery, including:
- Specialist plastic surgeon fees
- Theatre and procedure costs
- Pathology and lab fees
- Skin grafting or reconstruction
- Dressings and follow-up care
These are the kinds of costs that can fall heavily on a family when treatment is urgent and medical aid is not in place.
How Skin Cancer Surgery Crowdfunding Helped Laylah
Laylah’s campaign is a reminder that crowdfunding is not always about large numbers or viral attention. It is often about timing.
A surgery date was booked. The need was clear. People understood what their support would help make possible. Every donation helped reduce the pressure around keeping that appointment and covering the care connected to it. For Laylah, that meant more than financial help. It meant being able to move forward instead of waiting in fear.
In her campaign, she wrote:
“Any contribution, no matter how small, will help me move one step closer to getting this surgery done and putting this behind me.”
That is exactly what happened.
The Difference 46 Donors Made
Forty-six people came together to help Laylah reach her goal. Some gave what they could. Others may have shared the campaign with their own circles. Together, those actions helped turn a frightening medical situation into a practical plan. That is the real impact behind the total raised.
It gave Laylah breathing room.
It helped protect her surgery date.
It allowed her to focus on treatment, healing, and her family.
Why Crowdfunding Matters in Moments Like This
Medical costs can become urgent very quickly. When people need help, they need a way to explain the situation clearly, receive support safely, and keep their community updated.
Platforms like BackaBuddy give campaign creators a trusted space to share their story, show progress through live totals, and receive donations from people who want to help.
Laylah’s story shows what can happen when someone takes the brave step of asking, and when others answer with care.
A Campaign That Reached Its Goal
Laylah’s skin cancer surgery crowdfunding campaign has now passed its target, but the message behind it remains important. Asking for help is never easy. Especially when it comes with fear, pride, and uncertainty. But sometimes, asking opens the door for people to show up in ways that change what happens next.
If you’d like to see the visible impact of a successful medical crowdfunding campaign, visit Laylah’s BackaBuddy campaign page here.
Launch your own crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy
After reading Laylah’s story, you may know someone facing medical costs, education needs, funeral expenses, sporting opportunities, or another difficult moment. BackaBuddy has helped raise over R630 million for causes across South Africa, giving people a safe place to ask for help and receive support.
👉 Get the Guide: If you’re thinking about launching a medical crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, here’s everything you need to know.
