True love magazine (1)
1
DR THANDEKA MAZIBUKO, 38 Registrar, Radiation Oncology Department, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital Growing up in the rural KwaZulu-Natal region of KwaNyuswa, I was faced with many challenges. I was raised by my domestic worker mother, and the journey to qualify as a medical doctor wasn’t an easy one. My main drive for working in oncology was that many people in my community didn’t know what it was and didn’t have access to medical services. These days we hear about breast cancer survivors, yet we never hear people speaking about those who have no idea what this disease is all about. I once told a patient that she had breast cancer and she laughed in my face. She then told me that only white people get it. That was definitely something that rang my alarm bells. Through my NGO, Sinomusonothando Community Development, I’ve created a bridge between the medical system and those who often don’t have access to or benefit from it. We do free screenings on weekends, among other things. In the province of KZN, only three hospitals specialise in cancer. They’re all in Durban, so if you live far away, getting there is a problem. A rural woman will have to use public transport, on a long journey to Durban, which is often uncomfortable – but that’s the only way she can get assistance. Whoever originally designed the system didn’t have my mother, who represents women living in rural areas, in mind. As doctors we need to stand up together and advocate for rural patients. Some of these women sit at home with the disease and either don’t know about it, or are delayed in receiving treatment. One of the biggest challenges in rural communities is chemotherapy – and how can it be effective on a hungry stomach? There are just so many issues that still need to be tackled. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with about 60 students from the University of KwaZulu- Natal’s Medical School campus, and they’re so amazing and enthusiastic. We need more people like them to help with screenings and educating patients about breast cancer. I must commend our health sector though for having the most amazing medication for cancer, and also for having the necessary equipment. We’re saving lives, but not as many as we could, because of late detection. My wish is to one day become a professor in oncology. I’ll continue to fight for those who are not being thought of with regards to this disease. 86 | OCTOBER 2013 | WWW.TRUELOVE.CO.ZA Four women affected by breast cancer chat to ZAMAHLASELA GABELA about educating more black women about the disease HEROINES change for
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Transcript of True love magazine (1)
DR THANDEKA MAZIBUKO, 38 Registrar, Radiation Oncology Department, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital Growing up in the rural KwaZulu-Natal region of KwaNyuswa, I was faced with many challenges. I was raised by my domestic worker mother,
and the journey to qualify as a medical doctor wasn’t an easy one. My main drive for working in oncology was that many people in my
community didn’t know what it was and didn’t have access to medical services.
These days we hear about breast cancer survivors, yet we never hear
people speaking about those who have no idea what this disease is all about. I once told a patient that she had breast cancer
and she laughed in my face. She then told me that only white people
get it. That was definitely something that rang my alarm bells. Through my NGO,
Sinomusonothando Community Development, I’ve created a bridge between the medical
system and those who often don’t have access to or benefit from it. We do free screenings on weekends, among other things.
In the province of KZN, only three hospitals specialise in cancer. They’re all in
Durban, so if you live far away, getting there is a problem. A rural woman will have to use public transport, on a long journey to Durban, which is often uncomfortable – but that’s the only way she can get assistance. Whoever originally
designed the system didn’t have my mother, who represents women living in rural areas, in mind.
As doctors we need to stand up together and advocate for rural patients. Some of these women sit at home with the disease and either don’t know about it, or are delayed in receiving treatment. One of the biggest challenges in rural communities is chemotherapy – and how can it be effective on a hungry stomach? There are just
so many issues that still need to be tackled.I’ve been fortunate enough to work with about
60 students from the University of KwaZulu- Natal’s Medical School campus, and they’re so amazing and enthusiastic. We need more people like them to help with screenings and educating patients about breast cancer.
I must commend our health sector though for having the most amazing medication for cancer, and also for having the necessary equipment. We’re saving lives, but not as many as we could, because of late detection. My wish is to one day become a professor in oncology. I’ll continue to fight for those who are not being thought of with regards to this disease.
86 | OCTOBER 2013 | WWW.TRUELOVE.CO.ZA
Four women affected by breast cancer chat
to ZAMAHLASELA GABELA about
educating more black women about
the disease
HEROINESchangefor
