Mother gets ‘life-saving’ cancer treatment in Israel with help of UK community

The British family of a Greek Jewish woman have thanked the Jewish community in the UK for helping her get “life-saving” treatment in Israel.

Liat Papantoniou, 48, a mother and radiologist, started specialist treatment at the Sourasky Medical Centre in Tel Aviv earlier this year, after being diagnosed with a rare bone cancer in December, called high-grade fibrosarcoma.

After several rounds of chemotherapy she was told that she needed difficult surgery to remove the cancer and fit a prosthetic hip, news that spurred the family into a fundraising campaign.

Last week her UK-based cousin Jonny Mosseson said he had been “humbled” by the community’s response but said the family still needed to raise thousands more, as the total Israeli bill would be around £85,000.

Speaking to Jewish News, Mosseson said: “The community has been incredibly responsive and supportive which has been a very humbling experience and has essentially made me realise how lucky I am to be a part of it.”

He described fundraising effort through synagogues and friendship groups as “a mammoth journey,” adding: “Thank God the operation was successful but it is a long journey ahead. Liat is recovering and determined to regain her strength.

“She now requires six weeks’ rehabilitation and more rounds of chemo. I can’t thank you all enough. I constantly become teary-eyed when I think of the support.”

He said the family had managed to raise “an incredible £21,000” and asked for “any donation, no matter how small,” in order to get to the £85,000 mark.

https://www.gofundme.com/savingliat