Survivor leads Randburg’s mobile cancer screening drive
After losing her mother and surviving cancer herself, Farzana Haniff now takes life-saving screenings to communities across South Africa.
Farzana Haniff still remembers the day cancer changed her life.
She was only 11 when her mother died from the disease. Years later, she was diagnosed with the same disease.
Read more: Survivor leads Randburg’s mobile cancer screening drive
Today, the Randburg resident is a cancer survivor. Instead of letting fear define her, she chose to turn her pain into purpose. She now leads a cancer awareness campaign that focuses on early detection and prevention, hoping other families will not have to face the same loss she did.
Cancer runs in Haniff’s family. Because of this risk, she made the difficult decision to have major surgery, including a bilateral mastectomy. Several of her relatives have also battled the disease.
“I know what cancer does to a family,” she said. “Early detection can save lives.”
Together with her husband, Shiraz, Haniff works closely with healthcare partners such as Radiant Diagnostic Imaging. Their goal is simple but powerful. They take mobile screening units directly to workplaces and communities so that people do not have to travel far or wait months for an appointment.
Also read: Garden Village residents plant hope in honour of cancer survivors
The campaign offers mammograms, prostate cancer screenings, cervical cancer tests and skin cancer checks. In 2024 alone, the team screened 19 000 people across South Africa. From those screenings, 354 early cancer cases were detected. Each number represents a person who now has a better chance at treatment and recovery because the disease was found in time.
The mobile units are fully self-powered and fitted with modern 3D mammogram technology. Screenings are done by qualified professionals, and the results are reviewed by radiologists to ensure accuracy and care.
Although the campaign is based in Main Avenue in Randburg, its reach goes far beyond the suburb. The team travels across the country, often visiting rural areas where access to healthcare services is limited. For many people, this is the first time they have ever had a cancer screening.
For Haniff, this work is deeply personal. Every screening is a step towards giving someone else a chance to live, to watch their children grow up, and to spend more time with the people they love.
Her mission remains clear. Find cancer early and give families hope.
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