‘We survived cancer’
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but for sisters Bongi and Selinah Zwane, it is a month of gratitude as they are both cancer survivors.
The story of their victory had many in tears at the Breast Cancer Awareness Day held on Saturday in Tsakane.
The event was attended by women from all over Kwatsaduza who came to learn more about the disease and to share their stories.
Selinah, who lives in Tsakane, explained how she discovered that she had cancer.
“I noticed a little pimple on the side of my right breast in 2006, it was small but painful and soon it grew to be the size of my breast,” she said.
Doctors at the time could not tell what was wrong and simply cut the growth off.
In pain and unsure what was wrong with her, she eventually sought help at another hospital where she was told she had skin cancer.
According to Selinah the pain had become so unbearable that she was forced to sleep on the couch on one side.
“My sister and children were taking care of me, it was like I was a child,” she added.
In 2008 Selinah was admitted to the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg where she was operated on and treated for skin cancer.
After she spent three months in hospital after an operation was performed, she got an infection that threatened to kill her.
Through chemotherapy and radiation, it was discovered that the cancer had spread to her breast.
“That was the worst news, but my family was there. Even when I underwent chemo, they were there,” she said.
As if that was not enough, her sister Bongi was diagnosed with womb cancer after a routine pap smear in 2010.
“I did not know how to tell my sister, it was hard enough that she had to go through that, now here I was about to tell her I was sick too,” said Bongi.
Luckily for her, the disease was in its early stages and her womb was removed before too much damage was caused to other parts of her body.
The two sisters, with support from their family and friends, were able to recover fully and are now living cancer free.
The best advice they can give to people is that they need to be aware of their bodies and to go for regular tests.
“It is very important to notice the little things, if it looks abnormal, have it checked out,” concluded Bongi.
The two sisters are spreading the word about cancer to women and encourage anyone who is going through the same thing to contact them.
For more information on the disease, emotional support and care products, contact Selinah on 074 257 9678.
