My name is Hassan. I’m 25 years old. I came to the UK 10 months ago, and not long after I arrived, I was diagnosed with blood cancer.
Back home in Iran, I worked as a Koolbar, carrying heavy goods across dangerous mountain borders to survive. (Koolbars are mostly Kurdish men who do this work out of desperation, often risking their lives.) Life was hard, but I was targeted because of my political beliefs, and I had to flee.
My uncle helped me escape. I travelled through Turkey, Italy, and France. In Calais, I tried five times to cross to the UK. On the last try, our boat broke in the sea and I had to swim for 30 minutes. I didn’t think I would survive.
After arriving in the UK, I started getting sick. At first they said it was an infection, but after many hospital visits, I was told I had blood cancer. Now I go to hospital in London every week for chemotherapy.
My asylum claim was rejected and I’ve been placed in Reading, about an hour away from the hospital. After treatment, I feel weak and exhausted. The journey is hard. I get £49 a week to live on, and £35 of that goes on travel. I often can’t afford proper food. Some days I just sit and don’t move.
One day in hospital, a woman looked at me and said I smelled because my clothes weren’t clean. She put a bag on the chair so I wouldn’t sit next to her. That moment still hurts. I felt ashamed and completely alone.
I don’t have family here. I just want to get better, to be strong again, to work, and to build a new life. But right now, I can’t do it without help.
I’m asking for support to cover my travel to the hospital, help me afford food, and get through this time with dignity. Your support would mean everything.
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