Local teacher shares her fight against cancer

Angie Grobbelaar, a 42-year-old Arts and Digital Intelligence teacher battled breast cancer and emerged triumphant.

Angie’s family has had more than their ‘fair share’ of cancer, with her grandmother dying of breast cancer, two of her aunts diagnosed with breast cancer, and one with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

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“My two aunts were both diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time. Then, in 2019, my older sister was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Angie explained.

Angie went for a mammogram after her sister’s six months of chemotherapy and lumpectomy, which she had scheduled for August 2020 as a precaution because she was turning 40.

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“They found a lump, which surprised me. It was shocking yet again,” Angie exclaimed, “My sister and I turned out to have the same type of cancer. At Pinehaven Hospital, I was scheduled for 16 rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and six weeks of radiation.”

Angie explained that it was a long journey with many dark moments, but her faith, family, and school family at The King’s School West Rand helped her get through it.

“I had to stop teaching because Covid-19 was still an issue and my immune system was too weak to attend classes. I missed my kids so much!

“I started coming back to school after my operation, and while doing radiation, I was able to teach my kids. I’ve had a preventive hysterectomy since then and must go for three-month check-ups to ensure that everything is fine for the rest of my life.”

Angie has since discovered that she carries the BRCA 2 gene, which can lead to other types of cancer.

“I suffer from excruciating pain in my bones, which have been weakened by chemo. Even walking can be difficult at times. But I’m grateful just to be alive. Mike, my husband for the past 20 years, and my two teenage daughters, Rachel and Sarah, are my everyday warriors who support me, in addition to my family and friends. I haven’t been told I’m cancer-free yet, but I have faith in God that I will be!”