‘I chose to live’: Kempton Park woman beats cancer five times

Former Kempton Park resident Angelique Bell has faced more than her fair share of challenges.

Diagnosed with cancer for the fifth time in 2019 at the age of 44, Angelique was told by doctors she would not live to see 45.
But Angelique, now 49, is a fighter.

“I refused to let someone else decide when my time was up,” she said.

“I wanted to live on my terms.”

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Angelique’s cancer journey began in 2002 when she was 27.

“I had no one to ask for advice. I did whatever the doctors told me, had surgery and chemotherapy, and for a short time, I was cancer-free,” she recalled.

Over the years, cancer returned multiple times, each diagnosis bringing a new battle. By the fifth diagnosis in 2019, Angelique was emotionally exhausted.

“I was numb and angry. The doctor told me I would need chemotherapy to buy a little more time, but all I could think was how I would keep this from my family,” she said.

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“I decided I would do this alone.”

At that point, she entered what she calls her “rebel phase,” buying a motorbike and joining a club to live each day to the fullest.

“But in 2020, I had a bad fall on a trip, and because of my injuries, I could not start chemotherapy.

“My health deteriorated rapidly, and my mental state was at its lowest,” she added.

“I did not care if I lived or died.”

That changed when a friend, Nicole Moore, intervened.

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Nicole, along with Nick Verster from NVJ Products, Adele Calitz, and Gary Collins, stepped in to support Angelique. Through NVJ’s natural products and Adele’s Reiki treatments, Angelique’s health began to turn around.

“Nick later told me he could smell death on me the first day we met. But within three months of starting the journey, my lumps were shrinking, my cell counts were normalising, my weight was stabilising, and I no longer looked or smelled like death,” she said.

Six months later, she was strong enough to complete a 5km park walk.

“The hardest part was keeping up with the nutrition my body needed and getting my mind positive again,” she said.

Throughout her battle, Angelique worked three jobs to support her family and to keep her mind occupied. She continues to do so today.

Now, Angelique is in full remission and will celebrate her 50th birthday this August, defying the odds stacked against her.

“I see my grandchildren grow up every day. I still ride my motorbike, and for the last three years, I have been part of The Ravens MC, which has become my second family,” she says.

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Angelique credits Nicole, Nick, Adele, and Gary for helping save her life.

“If Nicole had not brought them into my life, I would not be here today,” she said.

She remains committed to sharing her story to inspire others, adding humour and motivation to her daily interactions.

“I don’t see myself as a motivational figure, but I want the next person who hears ‘get your affairs in order’ to know there is hope,” she added.

“There is no end of the road until you decide it is the end.”