Brave parkrunner shares her cancer journey
Survivor celebrates life beyond her cancer diagnosis.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month draws to a close, Newcastle parkrunner Margaret Claassens (60) shares her personal experience – from the shock at diagnosis, through the uncertainty of treatment, to celebrating all of life’s precious moments.
Claassens was working as an English teacher at Hope High School when she learned that she had stage 2 breast cancer on October 4, 2024. She retired a year later on October 1, 2025, to focus on her health and well-being.
“I was aware of an existing lump for many years. However, I was advised by a doctor that it was just a cholesterol granuloma, so I carried on with life,” recalls Claassens.
Cholesterol granuloma of the breast is a rare, non-cancerous (benign) mass that frequently looks and feels just like breast cancer on physical examination and imaging scans.
While cholesterol granulomas are benign, rare cases have documented them occurring alongside or masking actual breast cancer.
“Over time, the lump got bigger and more painful. I knew my health wasn’t good and felt the condition was more serious than we initially thought, so I went for the necessary screening and discovered it was cancerous,” said Claassens, adding that, while hearing the news was upsetting, she realised she had to accept it and focus on the way forward.
Claassens’ treatment plan included surgery followed by radiation and a five-year course of medication.
She also began participating in parkrun more regularly to improve her overall health and fitness.
“I heard about parkrun a long time ago when it was still being held at Grey Goose (it is now being hosted at Rooi Point Farm).
“I participated every now and then, but since the beginning of this year, I participate regularly. I’ve always enjoyed walking. When I was young, I walked our dogs on the farm, but it’s not always safe to walk in town. Parkrun makes it possible to me to walk in a safe environment,” said Claassens.
Walking for bone strength and healing
“The medication I was prescribed for cancer draws calcium from the bones and makes the bones more brittle. Exercise is especially important for me to build muscle to support the bones and to build bone density for better bone structure, and walking is the best exercise,” she explains.
“For me, parkrun is not a race. It’s not about keeping score; it’s not about what place I finished in; it’s about the time it took to finish …It’s about my health. The great thing about parkrun is that it’s not competitive; you can go at your own pace.”
Besides the physical benefits, Claassens confirmed that participating in parkrun has mental and emotional benefits as well.
“I joined parkrun alone, regardless of the fact that my family members and friends did not join with me. It’s such a positive environment where you meet new people, you get to know them and their challenges, and you support and encourage each other.”
Besides her appreciation for parkrun, Claassens says she feels very fortunate to have had medical aid at the time of her diagnosis.
“While there is so much more information about breast cancer out there now than ever before, my heart goes out to all those people who are fighting cancer who don’t have medical aid. There is such a backlog in the public sector that by the time people wait for treatment in government hospitals, many of them have already lost their lives,” Claassens laments.
“I was very lucky that I was able to undergo surgery within just two weeks of being diagnosed, because with cancer, how soon you get treatment can make the difference between life and death. I was one of the lucky ones.”
Claassens says that being a cancer survivor has taught her to look at the positive side of life, as well as the importance of celebrating even the small things that make you happy.
She urges readers to manage and reduce their stress, as she believes that stress increases one’s risk of cancer.
“Some people believe in circumstances, but I am a spiritual person. I believe that God had a part to play in my experience. To anyone who has recently been diagnosed with cancer, hold on to the Lord. Medicine can help, but God is the greatest physician. Don’t lose hope,” she concluded.
Where to join parkrun
Parkrun takes place very Saturday at 08:00 and participation is free of charge.
In Newcastle, parkrun takes place at Rooi Point Farm; in Ladysmith, it is held at Ladysmith Country Club; and Vryheid’s residents can participate at Vryheid Golf Club.
For more information, visit www.parkrun.co.za
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