adminRushika requires about US$6 000 to cover his flight and the boarding costs of his wife when they travel to India, early next month, where he is set to undergo surgery.
The family has sent an SOS to well-wishers to come forward and foot this bill.
Rushika was diagnosed with an ailment that puts him at risk of a heart attack if corrective surgery is not performed soon.
The family has booked an appointment for the surgery to be performed on July 5 at Medanta Hospital in India.
Goredema said while his organisation was not able to assist him and the family financially, they were going to do an awareness campaign to raise money to help the veteran bodybuilder and administrator.
“As NFZBBF, we are very concerned to hear at this stage, from the press, that Kays Rushika, an ex-member of the former ZNBBWA committee has an urgent need of money for an operation overseas.
“We are very sympathetic to his situation and will do our best to raise awareness in the bodybuilding of community of this urgent need.
“Being a new association, since 2012 operating as a non-profit making organisation, we are unable to help him financially at this time as we use our own personal funds to run the NFZBBF and usually only solicit donations for contests, which were spent during the recent Mr Ironman.
“But as I said, we will put word out so we can see what can be done at this late stage,” said Goredema.
Goredema said they will try to move mountains to assist Rushika.
“He knows we are close to him. What we are going to do is just try to ask anyone involved in bodybuilding to donate something.
“He is very dear to us, we respect him and we have always honoured him. We are going to do everything we can to assist,” said Goredema.
Rushika, a legendary father figure in the local bodybuilding community, has been sick since last year in March.
Online Reporter