Mbombela, Mpumalanga — Tristan was critically injured in a car accident on 21 February 2026 and is currently fighting for his life at Rob Ferreira Hospital. Close friends and family have launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise R500,000 for an urgent transfer to Mediclinic Nelspruit, where he can receive advanced neurological care and potential surgical intervention.
The accident involved Tristan and four friends. Since then, he has remained in critical condition, suffering from severe brain trauma and continuous seizures as doctors work to stabilise him.
Medical teams at Rob Ferreira Hospital have provided emergency care, but his condition now requires specialised neurological support that may only be available at a private facility. According to those close to the family, the transfer could significantly impact his treatment options and long-term outcome.
A Family at His Bedside
Tristan’s loved ones describe him as someone who is consistently present for others, dependable, kind and deeply loyal. Since the accident, his family has remained at his bedside, navigating the emotional strain of uncertainty while focusing on securing the care he urgently needs.
The campaign, launched just one day ago, has already raised R29,160 from 39 donors — an early sign of community support. However, the R500,000 target reflects the high cost of emergency transfer, intensive neurological treatment and possible surgical procedures.
Why the Funds Are Needed
The funds will be used for:
Emergency transfer to Mediclinic Nelspruit
Specialist neurological care
Potential brain surgery
Intensive care unit costs
Ongoing treatment and monitoring
Severe traumatic brain injuries require rapid and specialised intervention. Access to advanced neurological facilities can influence both survival and long-term recovery outcomes.
Community Support in Action
Messages of support have begun to pour in as friends and extended community members rally around Tristan and his family. For his loved ones, this early momentum provides encouragement during an otherwise overwhelming time.
While his medical team continues to monitor his condition hour by hour, his supporters are focused on ensuring that financial barriers do not stand in the way of critical care.
A Race Against Time
At present, Tristan remains in a fragile state. His family’s priority is securing the transfer and specialist treatment as quickly as possible.
The coming days will be crucial — not only medically, but in mobilising the community support needed to give him the best possible chance at recovery.
Welkom, Free State — Zian Botha, a 12-year-old boy from Welkom, has been diagnosed with epilepsy caused by non-functioning brain tissue, leaving him in need of urgent brain surgery in Cape Town. His family has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise R150,000 to help cover specialist consultations, advanced testing, hospital costs and the procedure itself.
His medical journey started in May 2025, when he started experiencing unexpected seizures. What initially brought fear and confusion soon developed into months of hospital visits, tests and uncertainty.
Despite treatment efforts, his condition has progressed. Days differ — some days he experiences four seizures, and on more severe days, up to 12 seizures.
After being referred to Dr Butler in Cape Town for advanced assessments, the family finally received answers. Specialists determined that a portion of Zian’s brain is no longer functioning, triggering the seizures.
Epilepsy seizures are primarily classified into two main types: generalized seizures and focal seizures, each with distinct characteristics and symptoms. Zian presents with symptoms of both types and is resistant to medication, leaving surgery as the only viable option to improve his quality of life and prevent further neurological damage.
Doctors have stressed that the brain surgery is very urgent. With every seizure, he loses bit-by-bit brain function. If the surgery is delayed, more of his brain tissue can be damaged. He already experiences spasm episodes, struggles to breathe during seizures, and has no control of his body function.
A Childhood Interrupted
Since his diagnosis, Zian’s life has changed significantly. Once able to attend school and participate in everyday activities, he now faces restrictions aimed at reducing seizure risk.
He is unable to attend school regularly and cannot participate freely in sports or play. He is not allowed to play outside because the seizures have no timeframe or warning. Simple routines are overshadowed by the constant possibility of another seizure.
What he misses most is “to play like a normal child and to go to school.”
For his parents, the emotional weight has been immense.
“As parents, hearing that your child needs brain surgery is devastating,” the family shared. “Our biggest wish is simply to see Zian live a normal, healthy childhood again.”
Turning to Community Support
Although the family has medical aid, critical elements of the required care — including specialist consultations and surgery in Cape Town — fall outside their medical aid network. As a result, significant costs must be covered privately.
The BackaBuddy campaign, titled Bring Back Zian’s Childhood, was launched one month ago. To date, R37,000 has been raised from 61 donors, reaching 19% of the R200,000 goal.
Funds will go toward:
Specialist consultations
Advanced brain scans and diagnostic tests
Hospital and surgical expenses
Post-surgery recovery care
They expect to have a more accurate figure around 5 March, following a final consultation with the neurosurgeon ahead of the estimated procedure dates on 9 and 13 March.
Zian’s parents remain focused on one goal: giving their son the chance to grow up without his life being defined by seizures.
“Thank you so much for all the help so far, especially my family and friends,” they shared. “They all keep Zian in their prayers and we pray that God will protect us and the doctors treating him.”
They are hopeful that community support will help ease the financial burden and allow them to focus on his recovery.
In just one year, KwaZulu Natal siblings Charity “Shaz” Gumede(31) and her brother Sabelo “Sabz” (30) have faced two life-threatening diagnoses. Shaz survived a near-fatal case of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome in 2024, and Sabz was diagnosed with Stage 3 Choriocarcinoma in 2025. With their mother leaving her job to care for both children full-time, the Gumede family medical crowdfunding campaign has been launched on BackaBuddy to help appeal to cover mounting medical costs and keep their household afloat.
Despite the fear and financial strain, the siblings continue to meet each challenge with a disarming mix of courage, humour and hope — determined to turn their darkest year into a story of survival, family, and quiet resilience.
Two Siblings, Two Rare Diagnoses and One Remarkable Bond
Despite experiencing two extremely rare medical crises within months of each other, the Gumede siblings have chosen a path defined not by fear, but by connection. Their home remains a place of warmth, laughter and mutual support — a testament to their deep bond as they navigate uncertainty together.
“We’ve been through a lot, yes,” says Shaz, “but we’re choosing to focus on the fact that we’re still here. We’re still laughing. We’re still us.”
“This year didn’t go according to plan,” adds her brother, “but we’re trying to meet it with as much heart as we can.”
Shaz’s Story: A 1% Chance at Life, and a Return to Herself
When beautician Shaz developed Stevens-Johnson Syndrome in 2024, doctors made it clear that survival was unlikely. The rare and catastrophic allergic reaction burned 75% of her skin, attacked her lungs and organs, destroyed her nails and hair, and left her blind.
She spent eight weeks in a coma while her mother, Nombuso, left her job and sat by her bedside every single day, praying, tending to her wounds and refusing to leave her child alone.
“When I woke up, I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t see, and I had no memory of what happened,” Shaz shares. “It felt like being born into a nightmare… but being alive at all was a miracle.”
Today, she lives with partial sight — about 5% vision in one eye and roughly 35% in the other. Her skin remains fragile, her nails never grew back, and her respiratory and digestive systems were permanently affected. Despite this, Shaz speaks about her recovery with gratitude and gentleness, not grief.
“I survived,” she says simply. “And that’s something worth celebrating.”
As part of rebuilding her physical wellbeing, she now requires medically essential procedures to restore her nails and teeth, along with lifelong specialised dermatological treatment to support her skin and comfort. These treatments form part of what will help her feel whole again.
Sabz’s Story: A Young Actor Confronts Cancer With Grace
Just as the family was adjusting to Shaz’s new needs, her brother began noticing unusual symptoms. After months of tests and consultations, he was diagnosed with Stage 3 Choriocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive germ-cell cancer.
His first chemotherapy protocol initially brought hope, but soon stopped responding. He has since begun a more intensive treatment plan that brings both physical strain and financial pressure. As an actor, his diagnosis adds another layer of challenge, as the visible effects of the tumour and the side effects of treatment have halted his ability to work.
“There are hard days, of course,” he says. “But I watched my sister face something unimaginable, and she showed me what fighting looks like. So now it’s my turn to fight.”
The ongoing co-payments for his treatment continue to rise, and his future healthcare needs remain open-ended.
A Mother’s Steadfast Love
At the heart of the family is their mother, Nombuso, who has shown quiet strength in every chapter. She left her job the moment her daughter fell ill, and months later found herself travelling again to support her son through cancer treatment. She manages medication schedules, hospital visits and emotional care with unwavering calm.
“She’s our hero,” says Shaz. “She’s the strongest person we know,” adds Sabz.
Her constant presence has been the family’s anchor, but it has also meant that, for many months, the household has had a limited source of income.
Why the Family Needs Help
The Gumede family is now trying to balance two rare medical conditions, ongoing hospital visits, reconstruction needs, co-payments and everyday living costs without any income. Their medical aid has supported them as far as possible, but shortfalls, specialised treatments and the realities of day-to-day life have created financial pressure beyond what any family could manage alone.
To keep the siblings’ medical journeys on track and maintain stability at home, the family has launched a verified BackaBuddy campaign with a goal of R800,000. So far, 260 donors have contributed more than R52,000, sending not only financial support but messages of kindness and encouragement that the family treasures dearly.
“We’re incredibly grateful,” says Shaz. “Each donation, even R20, feels like someone saying: Keep going.”
“This support reminds us that South Africa still cares,” adds her brother. “And that’s something we’ll never forget.”
“We’re scared sometimes,” says Sabz, “but we’re showing up for each other every day. That’s what keeps us going.”
When faced with a challenging medical diagnosis families often aren’t prepared for the financial burden placed on them at the most vulnerable time in their lives.
For this reason, many South Africans are turning to crowdfunding to raise the funds for a loved one in need of medical treatment, rehabilitation, and the purchase of medication and medical equipment.
Crowdfunding is the practice of fundraising online by setting up a project to receive many small donations from a number of individuals through the use of social media and the press.
Through emotive storytelling, images and video content, campaign creators are able to present their cause to the public to help reach their specified fundraising target.
As long as you have an earnest medical need that can be validated by a doctor or health practitioner, you can raise funds on BackaBuddy.
What can you raise funds for?
Over 49800 individuals have successfully crowdfunded on BackaBuddy to cover the cost of their Cancer Treatment, Cystic Fibrosis treatment, Bone Marrow Transplants, Kidney Dialysis, Heart surgery, Liver transplant, Cochlear implants and Wheelchairs.
Friends seeking to support a family in distress often launch crowdfunding campaigns to assist with expenses such as living costs, transportation, and other necessities during a catastrophic medical diagnosis.
Getting started
Get started with your crowdfunding campaign by sending us your story, funding needs and references by completing this form.
If you aren’t sure how to go about your campaign, please contact us and our team will guide you and walk alongside you.
Once your campaign is set up, you will have a shareable link that you can share on your social media, the press and most importantly, with family and friends, who can help you spread the word and donate to your cause.
Medical campaigns that captured our hearts
Since 2015 BackaBuddy has raised over R550 Million to support worthy causes in South Africa.
Take a look at a few of the medical campaigns on BackaBuddy that touched the hearts of donors both locally and abroad.
A Bone Marrow Transplant for Aaron
Aaron Lipschitz (7) from Sea Point, Cape Town, is the first child in South Africa to be diagnosed with Interleukin-12 Receptor Defect, a rare genetic condition that affects the immune system.
The only way for Aaron to overcome his recurrent infections and survive this condition was to have a bone marrow transplant, which successfully took place in August 2018.
When 9-year-old Amogelang Kgobe Matloga from Limpopo was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in August 2024, his mother, Annah, turned to BackaBuddy with hope and faith.
After bravely facing treatment, Amogelang’s cancer relapsed in May 2025, leaving his family devastated but determined to fight for his life. Annah has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for a life-saving bone marrow transplant, giving her son the chance to dream, play, and live fully again.
At just 19 years old, Anastacia from Meyerton was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, beginning a long and painful fight against the disease.
After reaching remission twice, most recently at the end of 2024, doctors warned her that a third relapse would likely be fatal. With a donor already secured, Anastacia now urgently needs a bone marrow transplant at a private hospital in Pretoria. While DKMS has generously offered to cover half the costs, she still needs support to raise the remaining funds for the life-saving procedure.
When beloved Cape Town teacher and single mother, Ms Mrasi, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, the moms of her class rallied together to support her.
Known for her warmth, humour, and the motherly care she shows her students, Ms Mrasi now faces the toughest fight of her life while continuing to support her son with special needs, who is currently writing matric. To ease the burden of treatment costs and daily expenses, her community is raising funds by running the 21km Gun Run and walking 5kms in her honour — a powerful show of love and solidarity.
When long-time motocross enthusiast and devoted husband, Kelby Parker, was rushed into ICU for an emergency life-saving operation after undetected sepsis spread through his body, his family’s world was turned upside down.
Now recovering with a colostomy bag after major bowel surgery, Kelby remains in intensive care at Wilgeheuwel Hospital, where mounting medical bills far exceed what their insurance could cover in just one day. His wife of 29 years and their daughter, recently engaged, are appealing for support so Kelby can heal, recover, and fulfil his dream of walking his daughter down the aisle.
When 6-year-old Carley was suddenly diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and rushed to ICU, her family’s life changed overnight, as she bravely adapted to daily insulin injections, sugar checks, and food restrictions — all while keeping her sparkle.
Alongside Carley’s journey, her older brother lives with autism, and together they face unique daily challenges. Their parents are now raising funds for an Aquazone Ozone H₂O Machine, a supportive therapy that could ease Carley’s diabetic struggles and help her brother with sensory and neurological balance, giving both children more strength, comfort, and moments to simply be kids.
