Reiger Park resident pumped up to beat cancer
She had 16 rounds of chemotherapy and after nine months of fighting, she's getting better.
When Sharney Blackway was diagnosed with breast cancer on January 16, she immediately thought about how she would break the news to her family, who had lost several members to the disease.
“I was not thinking about myself. We lost my aunt to cervical cancer in 2021. It was hard because cancer had affected my family so much and every time it resulted in death,” she said.
Blackway, from Reiger Park, joined hundreds of locals at the Cloverdene Shopping Centre on October 7 for the Impumelelo Fitness Club’s cancer awareness day, held in honour of Thulani Nxele, who passed away from rectal cancer in December.
Blackway was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer with an 88% growth rate, which has resulted in 16 rounds of chemotherapy so far and the removal of her breasts.
“It was so aggressive that I lost my hair two weeks after the first dose of chemo. I am constantly in pain and tired. Many think cancer is the issue, but when the treatment is aggressive, it can affect your whole body,” she said.
“My body is still not 100%. My feet are extremely painful. I would go for a chemo session and two weeks after that not be able to talk or eat proper meals. I started getting better after my last chemo in August. My oxygen levels are getting better. Chemo has been the hardest thing.”
The 29-year-old discovered a lump on the upper level of one of her breasts. At first, she thought nothing of it, but when the pain persisted, she realised it was more serious than she thought.
She went for a screening but they misdiagnosed her five times as the doctors kept telling her she was too fit, young and healthy to have breast cancer.
“Because they discovered it in the early stages, they were explaining things like bleeding through the nipple and the breast feeling like a plastic, which is normally in the later stages.”
As others in her family have succumbed to the disease, she instead chose to fight, knowing cancer can be beaten. Nine months later, she is getting better after weeks of fighting gallantly.
“I can only thank God for pulling me through that because there were nights where I would go to bed and think I would not wake up the next day,” she said.
She encouraged people to go for screenings and pap smears regularly, adding not to wait until too late.
“We need to kill the stigma. During the HIV pandemic, people were dying because there was no plan for it. Our quality of life can be better if detected early.
“I am encouraging anyone to get checked, even if it is a small lump, so they could detect the cancer early. Don’t fear and wait for other symptoms to develop.”
Her husband, Rowayne, who has been a pillar, said despite it being tough, his wife’s positivity had given him strength.
“I am strong because of her. Most of the time, I cannot think about anything else, knowing she is not okay. It is a journey that requires strength and positivity,” he said.
He urged partners to support each other, especially when one is going through a tough time.
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