Gogo (80) survives stage four cancer
In a period of 12 weeks and 12 chemotherapy sessions, Cecilia went back for more tests and discovered that some of the cells had shrunk.
YOU don’t have to know much about cancer to know how dire the fourth stage can be.
Coupled with losing a partner and a child to the disease, diagnosis can be earth-shattering, not only to yourself but to your loved ones as well. And if miracles were far from your beliefs, consider the story of 80-year-old Cecilia Linderboom, a Bluff resident who has survived the fourth stage cancer curveball.
What was supposed to be a check-up for a persistent cough at the doctor’s office soon turned into her worst nightmare.
“When I was diagnosed, the first thing that came to mind was that I was going to die, because this is the final stage of cancer. I just looked at the doctor and the tears started running down my face, I told her that I wanted to go home. They discharged me and phoned my children to come collect me,” said Cecilia.
After running tests and x-rays, the octogenarian was found with cancer cells in four parts of her body – the breast, lung, kidneys, and spots on the spine, doctors advised what treatment would be best for her and even though some of her children opposed it, she soon started chemotherapy.
“I thought that there was nothing more that they could do for me. I had been through this before because my husband and daughter also died of cancer. The doctor told me not to give up, that I must be positive because there are things that they can use now for my recovery which are more advanced.”
In a period of 12 weeks and 12 chemotherapy sessions, Cecilia went back for more tests and discovered that some of the cells had shrunk. Two weeks later, she was on radium treatment for her back for three weeks, five times a week and then after that, there was another scan to see if it helped.
“Thank God it did. Most of it had shrunk and no new ones had formed, so after that, the doctor said he’d put me on tablets. I’ve been on tablets ever since, but I go for my check-up every three months and then they do a scan every six months,” said the proud mother of 10, six of which are three sets of twins.
“What really helped me was the change in my diet, I went on all greens, no red meat or sugar. My children were really good because they supplied my needs, my daughter made the juices for me every day and I also had breakfast sent to me from the hotel every morning. I also want to thank God, because you can’t do anything without God. And I know that my family, my church family and friends were praying for me and I know that the answer to the prayers are why God has kept me thus far,” said Cecilia.
The grandmother of 30, great grandmother of 32 and great-great-grandmother of two, who was diagnosed in June last year, considers herself a strong woman who from time to time gets emotional about the journey of others with cancer. She is grateful to hospice for the treatment and care of her husband and as such donates money monthly. She also supports all causes of cancer and as a pensioner, donates whatever she can.
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