First, I want to apologize to Saeed. This is a rather urgent matter. I have not sought permission to post this. This was brought to my attention by Retreever this afternoon.

My wife (a surgeon) has read this. She says the medical condition as described is pretty bad.

We will be wiring at least $1,000 to them tomorrow. If you are inclined to help, I am confident the family will appreciate it. They just want to get the man home to die.



From: Keith Prowell <ffprowell@gmail.com>
Date: May 12, 2018 at 8:27:08 PM E

From: Tshabezi Safaris Dudley Rogers <tshabezisafaris@gmail.com>
Date: May 12, 2018 at 6:02:17 AM EDT
To: michael vavrinec <safarihunt@live.com>
Subject: Re. Dudley Rogers

Dear Friends

I imagine quite a few of you have heard by now that Dudley has been diagnosed with Melanoma (cancer). Within a week of arriving in South Africa from his annual USA safari marketing trip he was virtually 98% bedridden.


Even though his back pain became intolerable, it took a massive amount of persuasion to get Doctors and hospitals to admit him here in South Africa because the reserve bank of Zimbabwe would not release funds for his medical treatment. We eventually managed to have an isotopic spine x-ray done and an MRI of the lumbar thoracic spine. A CT scan and biopsies were then done and the diagnosis of metastasized melanoma was confirmed.

Finding an oncologist to treat him here in in South Africa presented more problems related to our Zimbabwe medical aid and no foreign currency funds being in the Reserve bank. By this time Dudley was in excruciating pain and we needed to urgently hospitalize him. We managed to get him admitted to Olivedale oncology hospital where he has been for the last 8 weeks.

Dudley was given 10 radiation treatments to his spine but because he didn’t respond as well as the doctor had thought he would, they did a brain MRI and found 3 tumors on the brain. He has now had 5 days of double doses of radiation to the brain, which were just completed on Wednesday, 9 May.

As you can imagine, the costs have been astronomical and our Zimbabwean Medical aid is dodging us and turning into an absolute African nightmare.

We want to take Dudley back home to Zimbabwe to make his last days as pleasant as possible, but the cost of a medivac airplane to get him there is US$7000, and then we have the ongoing medication, treatment, hospital bed, care, and so many costs they are too many to name.

We are really struggling to figure out how we can get Dudley home and right now, with all the hospital and medical expenses, we have exhausted all our loans and funds and are trying to find a way to raise money to somehow get Dudley home.

Many of you have asked how you can help and we appreciate all your support, prayers, and love. Right now our biggest concern is finding the funds for the medivac by air which Dudley needs. Any help toward this end would be so greatly appreciated.

We have an account setup in the USA and one in South Africa and would ask that if anyone feels they could spare any amount we and Dudley would be really appreciative for your help.

Sincerely

Tess, Clinton, Nadine, Nikki, Donna, Clive & the grandbabies



The USA bank details are:

US Bank
Address: 60 Livingstone Avenue, St Paul, MN 55017
Acc # 123000220
Swift Code. USBKUS44IM7

For Michael Vavrinec
Address: 1900 NE 3rd st, Ste 106-291,
Bend, ORegon 97701
Acc No 153664088793







The South African bank details are:

Bank name: First national bank

Account holder: Donna Rogers

Account number: 62760838080

Branch Code: 250655

Swift code: FIRNZAJJ

ID number donna Rogers: 8207171345088

Address Donna Rogers: 26 Tulip avenue,

Sunridge park

Port Elizabeth

Post code 6045

Cell contact number +27820504251

I received the same email from the family and will be sending $1,000 as well. My first safari in Zim was with Dudley with Clinton as my PH. Shot an Ele in Gokwe North. Had so much fun on that Safari I was hooked for life. I always looked forward to visiting with Dudley at DSC every year.

Very sad news.

Thanks Butch.

Prayers to Dudley, his family, and friends. I have never met him, but the name sounds familiar either from Hunt Reports or some of the tv shows.

Out of curiosity, has an effort been made to contact Global Resuse or Rip Cord for assistance? I am not suggesting they fit the bill for a possible non-member, but it would seem they would have the aircraft and personnel necessary at a rate less than retail. Just an idea.

Dudley has been a long time DSC exhibitor. I have hunted with him and spoke with him the last 14 yrs at DSC.
Prayers to him and his children and wife, Tess.
Mike

I am very sorry to hear that this has befallen Dudley, and I hope his time can be made as comfortable as possible.

The real problem here in Zimbabwe isn't the facilities (though they could be better). Global Rescue has an affiliate (if that's the correct word) here in the form of ACE Ambulance. They offer a First World service, and have the aircraft and everything it would take.

The real problem is to get the reserve bank to release funds; medical aid societies are often blamed, but they are operating under reserve bank restrictions as well.

quote:

Originally posted by DCS Member:
Prayers to Dudley, his family, and friends. I have never met him, but the name sounds familiar either from Hunt Reports or some of the tv shows.

Out of curiosity, has an effort been made to contact Global Resuse or Rip Cord for assistance? I am not suggesting they fit the bill for a possible non-member, but it would seem they would have the aircraft and personnel necessary at a rate less than retail. Just an idea.

It may not be possible for Dudley but there is a new treatment for malignant melanoma producing remarkable results. It’s immunotherapy with a drug called pembrolozumab sold by Roche under the name Keytruda .
The Australian health authorities are convinced on the evidence that it works in melanoma and subsidise it so the patient pays only a fraction of the costs. They do that when the evidence is very convincing.
Currently I am on it for a cancer not on the list for subsidy as a result it’s very expensive. Currently I am paying $5,700 Australian every 3 weeks for at least 10 treatments. My oncologist at review said I had the best response he had ever seen in oesophageal cancer and he specialises in the area .
Hopefully this may give Dudley a chance like it has given me .

Mark

Chaps lets see what we can do for Dudley. He is one of our own.

From what I am told, he is home.

A few of us contributed. I am not sure of the exact number.

One person who shall remain nameless offered his company jet to fly Dudley home at no charge. Personally,I was blown away by this gesture. While we were in the process of communicating this to the family, we learned that Dudley had been taken back to Zim. Thank you sir. You know who you are. That was an extremely generous, kind gesture to help a dying man.

...latest Transfer information for Dudley:

US Bank
1900 NE 3rd St Ste 106-291, Bend OR 97701
Acct. Name; Michael Vavrinec
Acct. number: 153664088793
Routing number: 123000220

Received this info 2000hrs Zim time.

Dudley is currently in Mater Dei hospital in Bulawayo. Plans to move him home when possible.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
From what I am told, he is home.

A few of us contributed. I am not sure of the exact number.

One person who shall remain nameless offered his company jet to fly Dudley home at no charge. Personally,I was blown away by this gesture. While we were in the process of communicating this to the family, we learned that Dudley had been taken back to Zim. Thank you sir. You know who you are. That was an extremely generous, kind gesture to help a dying man.

Larry you have consistently contributed to the cause and I applaud you for that.

The offer of the jet was an extreme gesture and that in itself goes way beyond the call.

quote:

Originally posted by mark smith:
It may not be possible for Dudley but there is a new treatment for malignant melanoma producing remarkable results. It’s immunotherapy with a drug called pembrolozumab sold by Roche under the name Keytruda .
The Australian health authorities are convinced on the evidence that it works in melanoma and subsidise it so the patient pays only a fraction of the costs. They do that when the evidence is very convincing.
Currently I am on it for a cancer not on the list for subsidy as a result it’s very expensive. Currently I am paying $5,700 Australian every 3 weeks for at least 10 treatments. My oncologist at review said I had the best response he had ever seen in oesophageal cancer and he specialises in the area .
Hopefully this may give Dudley a chance like it has given me .

Mark

Mark sorry to hear this but great you are responding well.

Friends brother was stage 4 melanoma until the relevant new drugs have him clear. Amazing.

quote:

Originally posted by mark smith:
It may not be possible for Dudley but there is a new treatment for malignant melanoma producing remarkable results. It’s immunotherapy with a drug called pembrolozumab sold by Roche under the name Keytruda .
The Australian health authorities are convinced on the evidence that it works in melanoma and subsidise it so the patient pays only a fraction of the costs. They do that when the evidence is very convincing.
Currently I am on it for a cancer not on the list for subsidy as a result it’s very expensive. Currently I am paying $5,700 Australian every 3 weeks for at least 10 treatments. My oncologist at review said I had the best response he had ever seen in oesophageal cancer and he specialises in the area .
Hopefully this may give Dudley a chance like it has given me .

Mark

Good luck to you. I hope it works.

Some year ago, I visited a client and immediately knew something was wrong. One of the owners had been diagnosed with cancer. They gave him less than 60 days to live. He got an experimental treatment figuring what did he have to lose. Almost 20 years later, he is still alive and kicking. There is always hope.

Thank you Rockdoc and larryshores. I hope my experience may give Dudley a chance.

Mark

My first ZIM Safari was with Dudley's outfit, although I didn't meet him until many years later.

I wish him and his family the best through this difficult time.

BH63

...I just received word that Dudley lost his battle with cancer today. Nothing more at this time.

Sad. At least the suffering is over.

Larry: You have a PM

I had just heard the news from Kirk Mason, one of his PHs and longtime friend of over 30 years.

I am glad his suffering is over.

My condolences to his family.

RIP

BH63

I am very sad to hear this news. Mr. Rogers gave me an opportunity very few people in my position have ever had, back in 2010. Prayers for his family.
RIP Dudley

quote:

Originally posted by tsibindi:
...I just received word that Dudley lost his battle with cancer today. Nothing more at this time.

I am so sad to hear this. I had a fondness for Dudley. He was a great family man and endured a great deal of unfairness from the Zim govt who took 35,000 acres from him and gave it to a “war veteran “. My condolences to his family.
Rest In Peace.

Very sad to hear this and Dudley had a fine reputation as a professional hunter.

I just found this tread & read the terrible news, I to did my first hunt in Zim with Dudleys outfit & Kirk guiding, they helped me a lot & I spent some weeks/months with them, helping out & being shown the ropes, that was 29yrs ago, I was hoping one day to hunt with them again properly, just never got the funds together !

My condolences to the Famliy, I'm the Kiwi that was in the Cruiser when the wheel came off on the way to Ele camp at Plump Tree & killed, injured a few of the guys on the back !

A fine man. I hunted with him and saw him every year for the past 14 years at DSC and at the Great American outdoor show in Harrisburg, Pa.

Mike