Windhoek
When 42-year-old Martha Angolo was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer four years ago she thought her world would soon crumble.
However, strong emotional support from her doctor and family, fuelled by her determination to live in order to encourage other people battling cancer, saw her through. She also believed that God would see her through.
Today, Angolo is cancer free and goes to all corners of the country to give a message of hope to people diagnosed with cancer, as well as the general population on the importance of early detection and maintaining a positive attitude through it all.
“It was in March 2012 when I detected an unfamiliar lump on my left breast. It was painless and so I thought an insect bit me,” explained Angolo. It took one month for her to gather enough courage to consult a doctor. And when she eventually did, the doctor referred her for a sonar examination, where it emerged that the lump was cancerous.
“The doctor started counselling me by telling me that it is not the end of the world and there is hope for me. He gave me one month to decide on what to do next,” she said, explaining that she had to decide whether she would go for treatment, which included a mastectomy (removal of the breast), or simply just hope for the best.
Not everyone would agree to have a body part removed, explained Angolo, whose mother died of breast cancer. She eventually agreed to the cancer treatment, which included doing a local biopsy to remove the lump. The lump was sent to the laboratory to make sure that the results would tie up with those of the sonar.
“When the biopsy results came, the doctor referred me to oncology [department] and what I did not know was that I was starting treatment that same day,” she explained. The treatment, which included chemotherapy, was very horrible and she did not know that she would later dread it.
“My goodness, chemo was very tough for me. I went to the doctor without eating so I was hungry and weak. It took almost two hours and I started feeling dizzy and vomited,” she said, adding that she was briefed on the side effects of chemotherapy.
“I just did not know that I will start chemo the same day that the doctor referred me to oncology,” she said.
She went back after a week for the second chemotherapy follow-up and after the third chemotherapy session her hair started falling out. This, she says, was not an easy pill to swallow.
“It was tough. I did not accept that…for a woman’s head to be bald,” said Angolo, with a smile on her face.
Fortunately, her sisters suggested she wears wigs.
“I eventually adapted though it was not easy,” she said, stressing that she was lucky to have had a good doctor who motivated her throughout her journey.
“During chemo I always had my Bible to read scriptures and that helped me a lot. My doctor and family also helped me to maintain a positive attitude.”
Angolo had to go six times for chemotherapy before having her breast removed on April, 7, 2013.
After that she had to undergo radiotherapy which was meant to kill the cancer cells in her body. Just when she thought the worst was over, she discovered three lumps above her left breast. But when the sample was taken to be tested for cancer cells, the results came back positive.
Angolo had to undergo another operation to remove the three lumps and fortunately another test confirmed the lumps were cancer-free. She ended up with a wound that refused to heal and had to undergo another operation to remove skin from her leg to cover the wound.
During her time on treatment, Angolo saw many depressed cancer patients. “I saw how some people were reacting. Some people were just angry, others just looked depressed and wanted to be on their own. That motivated me to be strong so that I could encourage other cancer patients when I fully recovered so that they do not lose hope.”
Angolo who now leads a normal life became a cancer activist after her ordeal. “After all those things early last year, I decided to go to the Cancer Association of Namibia, where I was trained on how to talk to patients, how to approach patients and give them hope,” she said.
What makes it easy for cancer patients to succumb to the disease is the lack of motivation to fight the disease by maintaining a positive attitude, while late diagnosis also leads to many people dying, she says. Lack of acceptance is another cause, adds Angolo.
“I want people to learn not to give up. They should fight,” stressed Angolo. According to the Cancer Association of Namibia, breast cancer is the number one form of breast cancer in the Namibian female population.
Although it cannot always be prevented, the risks of cancer can be reduced by a healthy lifestyle which includes adequate exercise and a healthy diet. The chances of dying from cancer can be reduced by early detection.
“There are certain foods I don’t eat anymore such as red meat and I also drastically cut down on my sugar intake,” said Angolo.