2019-09-01 Cosmopolitan South Africa

that I was too young.

I went on to have around

eight sessions of chemo and

I also had radiation treatment

afterwards. I had to have

radiation as well because

thedoctorswantedto make

surethere

wereno

cancercells

in otherparts

of mybody,

because

I wasso young

to havehad

breastcancer

in thefirst

place.I alsohavenofamily

historyof thedisease.

In myexperiencethereis

a stigmasurroundingcancer

in theAfricancommunity,with

manypeoplebelievingthatit

is a resultof a curse,or that

CHECK YOUR CHEST

LOOK: Stand in front of a mirror. Stretch your arms out to your

sides and raise them up. Examine your breasts and armpits, and

you are being punished. The check for any unusual bumps, puckering or skin changes.

fact is, this disease is a reality,

and it can affect anyone.

That’s why I feel that I had

to go on this journey – to

be an example to other young

blackpeople.I amyoung,

I amblack

andI survived

breastcancer.

Forfouryears

I livedwith

onebreastbut,

in 2017,I felt

thetimewas

rightto have

reconstruction

surgery.WhenI lookdown

at myboobsnowI lovethem,

andI knowthatit wasworth

thewait. Thescarsarethereto

remindmeaboutwhatI went

through,andthey’rea constant

reminderto bestrong.Always.

FEEL:Whilelyingdownonyourbedor standingin theshower,

moveyourfingersoveryourbreastsin a gentlecircularmotion,

thentowardsthenipple,andthenupanddown.If youfeela lump,

or thereis fluidcomingoutof oneor bothof yournipples,bookan

appointmentwithyourdoc.

Soyoufounda lump– nowwhat?Makeanappointmentto seeyourGPor

gynaefora thoroughbreastexam.Theycanthenreferyouto anoncologistif

theyfeelit’snecessary.Formoreinformationandresourcesonbreastcancer,

visitPinkdrive.co.zaorCansa.org.za.

D o n n a

Kennedy-

M eye r, 41,

fromStellenbosch,

feelsherfaithhas

rongerbecause

erience

henpeopleask

mewhatlast

yearwaslike,

wasthemost

difficult,challengingyear

physically,butthebestone

spiritually.I founda small

tumourin mybreast,which

wasonly10mmin size.It may

havebeentiny,buttestsonit

showedthatit wasaggressive

in nature.

WhenI foundoutI had

breastcancer,I decided

rightthereandthenthat

I wasn’tgoingto telleveryone.

I didn’twantpityandI didn’t

wantto hearotherpeople’s

negativeexperienceswith

thedisease.Thereis no

powerin spectators.I wanted

teammates.I starteda small

grouponWhatsAppwith

a fewof myclosestfriends,

whichwasthebestdecision

I could’vemade.When

you’refacinga battleof

thismagnitude,youneed

to choosepeoplewhowill

bethereforyou100%.

It tookmea whileto find

a doctorwhowasa good

matchforme.I waslooking

forsomeonewhowouldbe

honestaboutwhatto expect

fromtheprocess,butwould

stillgivemea bitof hope–

someonewhowaswillingto

worknotjustwithmybody

butwithmymindaswell.I’m

luckythatI wassparedall

of thereally

hideousside

effectsthatwe

havecometo

associatewith

chemotherapy,

andI didn’t

loseallmy

hair.My

oncologist

toldmethata

lotof womenoptoutof chemo

becausetheyaregoingto

losetheirlocks– theultimate

symbolof ourfemininity.

Thereis waytoomuch

pressureoutthereforwomen

to lookflawless,evenin the

faceof disease.

Whenyougoforyour

‘I am young,

I am black

and I survived

breast cancer’

check-ups afterwards, it can

be a daunting experience.

But it’s a blessing that I can

have a scan every three

months, and they can spot

and treat things as they

see them. I don’t have to

spend my

life worrying.

When

you’re given

the diagnosis

of cancer, you

go through so

much dread

because you’re

faced with your

own physical

mortality. People are scared

of dying. But you need

to face your fears – it will

make you a stronger person.

I don’t focus on cancer.

It has nothing on me – at

least not any more – and

I can just focus on the beauty

that is life.

‘You need to

face your fears

• it will make

you stronger’

PRIVATESTYLECONSULTANT

AND MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

PHOTOGRAPHY

KATINKA BESTER/HERO CREATIVE MANAGEMENT

AS TOLD TO

HELEN WALLACE

FASHION

CLEO MARCOPOULOS AND CLARE

ROBERTSON

STYLE ASSISTANT

NONDUMISO FATYELA

BEAUTY

ZIPHO NTLOKO

ON THE COVER:

PILISWA WEARS TOP

R375, SOMETHING

SASSY

EARRINGS

R110, LOVISA

DONNA WEARS BODYSUIT

R250, FOREVER 21

EARRINGS

DONNA’S OWN

ELZET WEARS BODYSUIT

R249, H&M

EARRINGS

R119 FOR A PACK OF THREE, LOVISA

*ACCORDING TO A 2014 CANSA REPORT

STOCKISTS ON PAGE 121