At just 16, Dane Nass’s life was upended by a rare pituitary tumour, sparking a grueling battle of surgeries and soaring medical bills and now, at 31, with a newly discovered cyst threatening his health, Nass urgently needs community support to fund critical treatment.
A pituitary adenoma is a tumour that has nestled in the delicate pituitary gland beneath the brain. Since his diagnosis, Nass has been subject to relentless rounds of surgery to address his condition and has had to struggle with consistently bad headaches, blurred vision, weight gain, and severe depression, all of which have led to numerous hospital visits.
Nass has had four major operations to treat the tumour and is preparing for his fifth operation.
Unfortunately, due to these health troubles, Nass had to leave school early and ultimately give up sports, something that took a major toll on his mental and emotional health.
“When I found out, I thought my life was ending. I was scared and devastated. Because of the tumour, I picked up a lot of weight and was bullied badly at school to the point where I wanted to take my own life. My unexplained weight gain is what led my granny to take me to the doctor for a thyroid test and that is when I was diagnosed.
“When I became aware that I had a tumour I became scared to live but also gained a better understanding of what was going on with me because many things started to make sense, including my weight gain because of the impact that the tumour had on my hormones,” Nass said.
Nass has also lost sight in his left eye, and the possibility of losing sight in his right eye too is high. Last year, the tumour developed sepsis which was temporarily solved by surgery.
Unfortunately, the growth of a cyst has led to the desperate need for another surgery.
“The most challenging part of the previous operations for me was not knowing what’s going to happen. The last time I was in hospital I had sepsis behind my eyes and ended up losing complete vision in my left eye. They also had to put a metal plate in my head. I am so nervous what is going to happen with the next one but I must try my best to stay positive and I have a fantastic family by my side every step of the way.
“Since my last operation, I suffer from terrible anxiety and separation anxiety. I don’t like being away from my gran. When I get anxious, I vomit and my family has to calm me down,” Nass said.
Nass’s aunt Nicky Oliver says this experience has brought the family together and highlighted just how strong they are as a unit.
“We were all devastated and scared not knowing what the future holds but we got through it as a family. When someone is weak, we keep each other strong, and we lean on each other for support. Bernice, Dane’s mom, and his twin brother Chaz needed a lot of love and support but that’s what family is for. Everyone is always present at the hospital, the family takes turns, and we have never even missed a single visit. The whole family chipped in to help with aftercare and everyone made turns to come see Dane,” Oliver said.
Nass has had to have regular check-ups every six months, including scans and MRIs, and without stable employment, the medical expenses have been an added stress for the family.
The family has started a BackaBuddy campaign, and Oliver’s company Star Signage has pledged R50 for every paid invoice they receive. To lend a hand, please visit his campaign page at:https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/danes-campaign
