People Living with Cancer

Minnie Kriek

28 March 2007.
I can honestly say it was an ordinary day, until I went to the loo. I remember feeling quite angry, because not only was I in the throes of menopause with hot flushes and all that, but my ovaries were doing a last ditch thing with a final period.  Just what I needed! [...]

Raynolda Makhutle

Life begins at 40!
I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1998. Working as a banker at that stage, I knew nothing about cancer, except that it was a killer.
I suffered from womb complications since the age of 15.
When I turned 40 I decided to get a second opinion and a general check up, The doctor [...]

Eldré Strydom

I have been a Breast Cancer Survivor for 5 years.
It was the month of Christmas, 15 December 2004 to be precise. I was 31 years old and running my own business when my life changed in an instant. Whilst everyone else were thinking of last minute Christmas shopping, holiday plans and how to separate uncle [...]

Peter Hers

When I was younger I spent much time in the sun, resulting in numerous solar keratoses, and various excisions.  In 2004 I had an amelanotic (no colour) malignant melanoma removed, and this seemed to be successful.  However, in 2006 it spread to lymph nodes in the neck, which were surgically removed.  I [...]

Gail Silberman

In the blink of an eye.
It  was December 2004.  The only time that cancer had touched our  lives so far had  been watching the 3-year battle  my niece, Sharon, underwent with breast cancer, with metastases  to her liver, bones and brain.  She had chemo after chemo, lost all her  hair and got [...]

Derek Aarts

Why  cancer Buddies?
I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in December 2005. I remember quite clearly my initial need for information about cancer. What the prognosis was, what the treatment options were, how long would the treatment be? etc, etc. All these questions related to the technical or clinical side of the disease. [...]

Della Silberman

Della  Silberman – caregiver for mother Gail.  Both are very active buddies and have helped many patients.
The story of a mother and daughter’s struggle with cancer
It all began in January 2005.  Mom had been to the GP often  for the same complaint – bleeding haemorrhoids, but she never checked the area, just [...]

Chris Olivier

Who can I talk to that will understand?
After unsuccessful attempts to clear up a urinary tract infection, I was sent to an urologist,  Dr Stephen Cornish, at Sunninghill Hospital. After examination and an ultrasound he booked me in for “CT scans” two days later.
I had never had a CT scan and decided I [...]

Anne Marneweck

I was diagnosed with Stage 2  Breast Cancer in August 2007at the age of 45.  I discovered my lump and went straight for a mammogram and sonar (my mammogram was due in October) and off to the surgeon who gave me the devastating news.  I felt like I hit a brick [...]

Dan Shapiro

Project Stages of Development:
Initial Compilation                                       8 August 2007
Discovery of Roots of Diagnosis           29 July 2009
After Thought & Completion                 23 January 2010

THE LIFE & TIMES OF A CANCER SURVIVOR – Dan Shapiro                                  8 August 2007
1991 was most certainly the best year of my life, attached with it however [...]

John Payne

Date of Birth – 6 May 1936
Prostate Cancer
Having neglected to have a proper medical check-up for more than 30 years decided to undertake one before moving down to the Cape in September,1998.
Result was fine except that my P.S.A. reading was 8.68. Was therefore referred to a consultant eurologist :-
17-09-98 – Biopsy – Negative
Oct 98 – [...]