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A rare form of facial and neck cancer has struck Lyle Marks, the husband of Angel Eve Trust founder Gloria Taylor.
Ms Taylor founded the trust to help families with sick and terminally ill children after the death of her daughter, Eve van Grafhorst, of Aids in 1993.
But the dream turned
sour in 1998 when plans by the couple to buy an Angel Eve Trust retreat at Teschemakers, near Oamaru, fell through. They left Oamaru for Te Puke a year ago, leaving behind a string of debts.
Last August, businesses owed money by Mr Marks, who is 38, were told he was falling behind with debt payments for medical reasons. Letters from surgeons stated he had a recurrent cancer in the head and neck. He would be unable to work for three or four months.
New Plymouth general surgeon Fridtjof Hanson confirmed that Mr Marks had been diagnosed and treated for the rare form of cancer.
"He came in with that looked like a little lump on his face," he said. "I took a bit of it and it turned out to be a type of tumour of the face.
"I referred him to Green Lane Hospital. He had to have half of his face cut away and then undergo plastic surgery to rebuild his face. They've done a wonderful job on him."
But the likelihood of surviving the cancer was usually very slim. All that could be done for Mr Marks had been done.
"But until such time as he shows a recurrence, we've got to assume there's a chance he might be cured."
In spite of Mr Marks' not paying him for a $90 consultation last year, Mr Hanson said Mr Marks and Ms Taylor deserved some sympathy and help, given what they had been through.
"I wouldn't like there to be a witch-hunt over these debts."
Speaking from Te Puke, Mr Marks said he was taking care of his debts, but he had been very sick.
"It's all right at the moment, but I'm going back into hospital next month."
- NZPA
