Fighting an invisible enemy - 'I was told to stop being dramatic'
Imagine living with a disease that means you cannot eat most foods, keeps you out of school, blemishes your skin, and forces you to move cities - but no one has a cure, and some doctors don't even believe you.
When they take me to the clinics or the hospitals or doctors, I'll go there and I'll be told that I must stop being dramatic. I cannot have food allergies because I'm an African.
This is the story of Princess Mahogo, a young Gauteng woman who battled celiac disease for 19-years before she was diagnosed.
She tells Don't Hold Back host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba how she survived, and why she does not want other young South Africans to suffer a similar fate. Listen at the top of the page, or directly below.
Meanwhile, in an earlier episode:
For lawyer Emma Sadleir, there are tough cases, and then there are cyberbullying cases. The growing trend is victims are getting younger, and perpetrators are harder to catch.
In this eye-opening episode of 'Don't Hold Back,' host Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba is joined by cyberbullying expert Emma Sadleir to unpack the dark side of our digital lives. Emma - co-author of 'Don't Film Yourself Having Sex' and ‘Selfies, Sexts and Smartphones’ - sheds light on the disturbing trend of sextortion, explaining how it's become alarmingly common and what victims can do.
If you are affected by cyberbullying or know someone who is, do check out Emma's blog for information on how to handle cyber harassment.
In a previous episode:
"Men often struggle to communicate their feelings," says artist Seth Pimentel. "But listen, go to therapy, my guy. Take meds if you need them. Even if you can't afford therapy, talk to your friends. There's nothing weak or unmanly about expressing yourself."
Seth finds it frustrating when men openly complain about feeling depressed and alone but avoid confiding in their closest friends.
Instead of bottling it up or drowning it in alcohol, he urges, "do the most human thing: communicate."
Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba delved into Seth's journey with mental health and art. He opened up about his experience with bipolar disorder, including misdiagnosis and wrong medications in his early twenties.
Listen above or watch it below.
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MORE ABOUT NOZIBELE QAMNGANA-MAYABA:
South African presenter Nozibele Qamngana-Mayaba is well known for her HIV-AIDS activism and YouTube channel. After her own HIV diagnosis in 2013, Nozibele made it her mission to hold open conversations about her journey. Now a published author and respected authority on the subject, the 33-year-old’s work was named as one of the web’s Top 15 HIV YouTube channels. She recently completed a second season of her TV show called #YesIHaveHIV, where she assists others to disclose their HIV statuses to friends and family. In May of 2023, her presenting skills earned her an international nomination in the "Presenter of the Year" category at the Association of International Broadcasting awards. With her direct, engaging, and empathetic hosting style, she's the perfect fit to address taboo topics - and to say: Don't hold back!
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‘Don’t hold back – say it loud’ is a co-production between German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), Jacaranda FM and East Coast Radio.
Don’t hold back – say it loud’ is both an audio and video production.