Masinga said a positive attitude is one way to defeat cancer.

“Women must stop fearing and treating this illness like it is a death penalty. I know, the sound and thought of cancer are scary and perhaps a foreign term to most Africans. But it is real and beatable. We can beat it,” she said.

Masinga was speaking exclusively to Lowvelder Express on Tuesday when giving some tips to women who might be affected by breast cancer.

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“As a black nation we think cancer is for whites and the rich, but it is real. It can affect anyone at any time. My advice is that when it attacks you, stay focused and don’t be afraid. Treat it just like any other illness. The problem starts when we begin to treat cancer as a giant illness and then develop fear. Remember, fear attracts negativity, so always be positive and speak life into your own lives,” advised Masinga.

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She said when she first discovered she had cancer, she thought it was the end. “I didn’t have information and I thought this would be the end of me. But as soon as I got into chemo I realised that this can be beaten. I developed a positive attitude towards this disease and as you can see I am as healthy as a horse.

All that we need to do as women is to stay positive and change our mind set regarding breast cancer. Refrain from listening to misleading information out there because this will only lead to fear,” she continued.

“Don’t throw in the towel and lose hope. You have to be patient and positive. Don’t allow anyone to tell you that you won’t survive.

“Yes, there are scars, but these scars are what remind us that we fought and we won. Cancer may seem like a giant disease, but we must not focus on the giant, we should rather focus on healing and getting better,” concluded Masinga.