"No one should face this alone"

Saturday 13 August 2022

A local woman is fundraising to be with her father when he undergoes brain surgery in Southampton.

Barbara Robilliard-Apinoko hopes that funds raised will allow her and her mother to join Mr Robilliard in Southampton for the high-risk surgery to remove a four-centimetre tumour from his brain.

“My dad’s tumour was found around a month ago. He had been feeling unwell, was losing his balance and walking into things. The tumour is on the right-hand-side of his brain and is causing swelling on the brain. He has hardly any use of his left side or left eye anymore,” said Mrs Robilliard-Apinoko. 

Pictured: Kenneth and Yvonne Robilliard hope that their daughter's fundraising appeal will allow Yvonne to be with him when he has brain surgery in Southampton. 

“My dad has severe asthma, bronchitis and a blood condition which means he has too many red blood cells. We’ve been told that his surgery will be very risky. The thought of something happening to him, and my mum and I not being there is not an option. No one should face this alone.”

Mrs Robilliard-Apinoko said that, while the States are funding travel for her father, they will not provide funding for her or her mother to go with him. 

“The total amount of funds we will need will depend on whether there are complications and we have to be there longer than the anticipated 10 days. We have set a fundraising target of £2,000 to help to pay for travel, accommodation and other expenses,” said Mrs Robilliard-Apinoko. 

Pictured: A four-centimetre tumour was discovered in Kenneth Robilliar's brain "around a month ago". 

Mrs Robilliard-Apinoko continued: “I have already taken one month off work unpaid and moved in with my parents to care for them both. My mum has been waiting 18 months on the waitlist for a double knee replacement and my dad is the one who was caring for her before he got sick.

“I work as a carer and will need to take more time off to travel with my parents; my work aren’t going to be able to keep my place open forever.”

Mrs Robilliard-Apinoko said she was disappointed that the States would not be able to help fund the costs for her and her mum. 

“My dad has worked all his life; he never even had more than 2 weeks off work. It’s not our fault that his surgery can’t be done locally but he had to face being told that he would have to go on his own,” she said. 

“I have fibromyalgia and my son with autism. My husband is taking full responsibility for our son and my daughter is helping with my mum and dad. Our family could do without the stress of trying to work out how we can possibly fund being there for my dad.”

Pictured: Kenneth Robilliard's has been told his surgery will be "very high risk". 

Mr Robilliard will be travelling to Southampton next week [commencing 15 August]. Just over half of the fundraising goal had been raised at the time of publication. 

“I would like to say a massive thanks to everyone who has donated so far, it really will make such a big difference. My mum and I just want to make sure we’re there for our dad so he’s not alone." 

You can donate to Mrs Robilliard-Apinoko’s fundraising appeal HERE