خليل كلفت

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Khalil Kalfat, the intellectual, literary critic, writer, political and economic thinker, linguist and translator from English and French, suffers from hepatitis C which progressed 17 months ago into 4 malignant tumors in the liver. The state helped in the beginning, through two decrees issued by the Ministers of Culture and Defense, funding an operation of liver chemoembolization at Maadi Military Hospital. There was an overall positive result, but the decree expired after that and needed renewal. The Ministry of Defense transferred him to the Ministry of Health but nothing was done.

Last November 3 new tumors were detected and doctors agreed that at least a second chemoembolization was needed. A long and difficult effort for a second decree ensued and resulted in a new decree allowing for a very small amount of money. The chemoembolization was finally done with the financial help of friends. It was discovered that the cancerous cells are different this time. The first group was follicular, slow growing and restricted to the inside of the liver. This new group of clusters is ramified and expansive and there is an 80-85% chance that they would reappear within a month of the last chemoembolization (done on December 20th 2006). If they reappear there is a serious threat of metastasis, i.e. spread outside the liver.

The only way to save Kalfat’s life now is a whole liver transplant. An operation that is not available in Egypt at the moment. Doctors have advised that it should be done in China where it will cost 100,000 dollars or France where it will cost 200,000 dollars (above half a million or one million Egyptian Pounds respectively). These expenses are exorbitant for Kalfat but trivial for the state institutions. This is not much to give back to a person who contributed a lot not only to his country, his language and his culture, but also the Francophone, Anglophone and Latin American cultures, and the world's Left, in different fields and from different positions. He has also served the Arabic speaking world by introducing to it, the fruit of thought and creativity from around the world. Throughout all this he did not care to accumulate a fortune. He still has a lot that he can offer if we were willing and able to offer him the help he needs to get over this ordeal.

After collecting the needed sum of money we still have to seek a place in the waiting lists for liver transplants in one of the two countries, and then actually finding a matching liver. This will take time and effort that we should spare him, as the pain of his illness and the expected operation essential for his wellbeing and survival are more than sufficient burden.

The campaign to collect donations to cover the expenses of the operation has started but this does not acquit the state of its responsibilities. Official swift interference is crucial and the speedy collection of funds is essential. The full amount should be collected within ONE month of the second chemoembolization and many days have already gone by. The life of a great Egyptian activist and thinker is at stake and every minute counts.

Scans of the medical reports on Khalil's case are available.

Your donations are appreciated.

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