Cindy’s story – ‘Sometimes bad things happen for good reasons’

By Elaine Rodway

“FRIDAY, the 13th has always been a good day for me,” muses Stage 3 cancer survivor, Cindy Van Heusden.”However, on Friday, November 13, they tried to steal my handbag. I was bruised and battered, but they didn’t get the bag and I lived to shop another day.”

Cindy recalls that ten days later all the bruises were healing, except for her left breast, which was still very tender.

“I made an appointment to see the doctor,” she recalls. “I was told ‘Take your bra off and stand with your hands above your head.’ (‘Really?’ I thought.)”

“But the look on my doctor’s face said it all. Something was not right and I was sent for a mammogram.”

Cindy recalls how they discovered what could have been a cyst or a tumour – they weren’t sure. She was sent to Newcastle for a further scan and biopsy, where they discovered two large cysts and a smaller mass.

The following Wednesday, the results were back and the doctor called Cindy in with what would have been devastating news for anyone, “Sorry to tell you, but you have got an aggressive cancer and need to be in Richards Bay tomorrow to see the surgeon.”

“What?” thought Cindy. “Our family die from strokes and heart attacks. Not cancer. How the heck did this happen…?”

“On November 26, my mom in law, well, ex mom in law, if you want to get technical, took me down to Richard’s Bay and we were positive they were going to cut the little piece out and all would be fine. Unfortunately there was too much blood in my breast tissue for them to operate and the procedure was postponed to the Friday. ‘No big deal,’ I thought. ‘The doctor is positive that he can get it out and all will be fine.'”

On the Friday, however, a scan revealed that the cancer had spread and they were dealing with something much bigger than they had anticipated.

“Thankfully, a good friend arrived from Ballito to accompany me to theatre. It made all the difference having someone there. Even if you think you are tough and can do it alone.”

Cindy went into theatre at 11am and came around sometime around 4 or 5pm, “left breast gone, missing in action,” she recollects.

“The doctor came to see me later and explained that he had to remove it and all my lymph glands because the cancer had spread. But he was positive and introduced me to an awesome oncologist and she explained what they were going to do, the sooner the better, as the cancer was already at stage 3.”

“It was all happening so fast. ‘Stop the clock! Turn back time!’ I thought. But this was reality and it had to be faced.”

“My oncologist told me to carry on with life as normal and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing,” she beams, well-known for her bubbly personality.

“I am three chemos down, lost most of my hair and get tired quickly, but I still work a full day, play golf and carry on as normal.”

“The people in Vryheid have been amazing. I have had messages and visits from other women who have been through the same situation and helped me with questions and answers that had never even crossed my mind.”

“I am a very strong-willed, independent woman who does not like help,” she admits, “but I have learnt that you cannot do this on your own. The support of your friends and family is vital. They have lifted me above this ‘dreaded disease’ and I look forward to every new day and its challenges.”

“I feel strongly about starting a support group in town, where those of us who have gone through this can help others who are diagnosed and bewildered. One of the ladies that came to see me even went so far as to make me a prosthesis!”

“We really can and must help each other,” adds Cindy. “The doctors can’t always give us the answers we need, but a fellow sufferer can. I am kicking this disease in the butt!”

“Thanks to the Lord above for all His grace and answering the prayers of those praying for me.”