‘I’d cry so much when I saw my dad in pain’
“His feet were swollen. He would complain that his feet were cold. My mom and I would rub them but he’d still say they are cold."
Seeing her father, Thulani, put on a valiant fight to beat cancer affected Sibahle Nxele so much that her schoolwork started suffering.
Thulani was diagnosed with stage four rectum cancer in 2021 and even though Sibahle and her mom, Precious, knew his chances of beating the disease were low, they rolled up their sleeves and helped him in his battle.
“I’m not okay. I miss him a lot,” Sibahle said.
Dressed up in a pink costume and sporting a pink wristband, Sibahle joined hundreds of fitness enthusiasts in an aerobics session during the Impumelelo Fitness Club’s cancer awareness day in honour of her father at Cloverdale Shopping Centre on October 7.
Despite Sibahle putting on a brave face when at school or out socialising, watching her father in pain ate her on the inside.
“I would cry so much when I saw my dad. He was in so much pain. He had lost so much weight as he wasn’t eating as much as he used to. Sometimes he would have a fruit as a meal,” she said.
“His feet were swollen. He would complain that his feet were cold. My mom and I would rub them but he’d still say they are cold. The feet had even changed colour. This affected me so much, even at school it was hard because I couldn’t focus.”
Thulani lost the battle on December 26.
“I know that wherever my father is, he is happy for what my mom has done for him with this event. I’m also happy that people came to support us and all those suffering from cancer.”
Precious said the event was held this month to encourage early screening as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
She was happy people came to hear testimonies from cancer survivors, those currently fighting the disease and how she and her children helped her husband in his battle.
“We are also teaching people that they have to be there for them. We need to support them. When they are in pain or can’t sleep at night, let’s be with them and try to put ourselves in their shoes,” she said.
She added that she was encouraged by her husband’s positivity, which is why she and her family went to great lengths to fight with him.
“I tried everything. It wasn’t easy. It was painful until the end. We were there for him. I’m sure wherever he is, he knows we were there for him from the beginning to the end.”
Cancer survivors shared their stories of how they overcame the disease.
Rebone Malapane was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2010. She thanked her family and Daveyton Hearts teammates for helping her beat the disease.
“I’m encouraging everyone to get screened regularly. Cancer can be beaten,” she said.
Phumzile Magagula, who was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in 2019, stressed the importance of self-testing.
“I felt a lump on my left breast. It was discovered I had breast cancer. The worst part is chemo but as long as you tell yourself you are going to survive, you will.”
Colon cancer survivor, Edward Kodisang echoed Malapane’s sentiments, saying he was lucky because his cancer was discovered early.
“The best medicine besides chemo is family. Their support is important. Be with people who make you happy. You will conquer the cancer,” he said.
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