Willette says thank-you

WILLETTE Engelbrecht of Tzaneen, writes:

Was at the lawyer today praise God there is R 34 600-00 in the trust account!

I’m so grateful for every cent donated by this community. You all champions in my book. I’m attaching a letter I was asked to write about my journey with living with cancer for the Tzn Care group fundraising event. If it will help people you can forward this letter to other cancer patients and hopefully it will just encourage them for today

My journey with cancer:

I was diagnosed in 2011 with Colon cancer at the age of 38 and so began my journey with living with cancer, a road full of various operations, chemo and radiation. My body is now riddled with scars, and at times I look like a bald, anorexic patient, but through it all I have found this amazing strength deep inside of me. It has made me realize that I had to start looking inside of myself and to start appreciating, loving and listening to my own body. For too long I ignored my body and I missed all the warning signs. Now for the first time in about 20 years I am aware of my body and I can finally help heal and nurture my body, and that is the most powerful feeling you can have as a cancer patient.

On this road there have been certain truths that I discovered.

Cancer can’t steal faith, and where there is fear there can’t be faith. I rely on my faith and have realized that I’m never alone; God is always there to hold me and wipe my tears.

Cancer can’t steal joy; it is our choice how we want to go through our journey.

We can feel sorry for ourselves, or we can rejoice every day for being alive. Seeing another sunrise and living that joy and spreading that to others.

Cancer can’t steal my family and friends, only we can push them away with our anger and pain and sometimes harsh words like “you don’t understand how it feels”.

Cancer can’t steal my courage and my hope, only I can stop believing it is all in my hands. No doctor knows the day and time of my death, only God knows that.

Cancer can’t steal my soul, it can maybe destroy my earthly body, but it can’t destroy my soul and my spirit that belongs to my heavenly father.

In closing the most important thing I’ve learned from cancer is GRATITUDE. Being grateful for everyday I open my eyes and to say thank you for another day. Thank you to my wonderful husband who loves me even with my scars and bald head at times, and who works so hard to take care of us. For 3 beautiful daughters who have been through more than what any child should go through. There could easily have been so much to blame for, but still they keep me going and laughing in the midst of pain and” I feel sorry for myself days”. For a loving mother and sisters who support me and standby me. For friends that are always around to help out and sometimes will let me just cry on their shoulders and for meeting other amazing cancer survivors that stand with courage, faith and wisdom. This is what I’m grateful for. I’m also grateful to cancer, for awakening me to all the love and beauty that I was missing in the world, but most of all I’m grateful to God for never forsaking me and giving me the strength everyday, to carry on. My motto for this journey is that only God can turn a mess into a message, a test into a testimony and a victim in to a victor!

I am a CANCER SURVIVOR!