Woman thanks cancer for giving her a 'purpose'
After losing a parent to cancer and her marriage to the stigma associated with cancer, Raynolda Makhutle is determined to stop other people from suffering the same fate.
About 1 in 5 people develop cancer in their lifetime and approximately 1 in 9 men and 1 in 12 women die from the disease, states the World Health Organization's February 2024 report.
There are more than 200 types of cancer, with the more common ones being breast, lung, and prostate.
Raynolda Makhutle was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 40.
Makhutle told Beautiful News that the cancer was discovered at a late stage, as she was never previously advised to do a pap smear.
Not only was she diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery to remove it, but three months later, it was discovered that she had tumours on both her ovaries. This led to her undergoing surgery to remove the uterus (Hysterectomy).
Due to stigma, Makhutle lost her marriage.
“In our culture, when you lose a womb you’re stigmatised that you are not a complete woman,” she told the publication.
“My husband left me because he was scared.”
READ: Could this protein help stop cancer from spreading?
Raynolda also lost her mother to cancer five years after she was diagnosed.
To find support, Raynolda joined People Living with Cancer and Cancervive, where she learned a lot about cancer.
As a result, she saw how a lack of information had negatively affected her journey and wished to inform more people to keep them from making some of the mistakes she made.
“I realised that we need more people in black communities educating and providing support around this disease,” she told the publication.
Alongside her team, Raynolda now travels around the country educating people about cancer.
“Once a year we go to different provinces on motorbikes spreading the message of awareness, early detection and hope,” she said.
“Cancer gave me a purpose. Today I celebrate life to the fullest,” she told the publication.
READ: WHO takes another step in fight against cervical cancer
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Image courtesy of Beautiful News.