
Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen – Few and far between
Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen shares her plight of trying to find other survivors of choroidal melanoma, a rare eye cancer that she was diagnosed with.
Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen (59) lives in the Western Cape with her husband. They have two children (24 and 22).
Delayed eye test
Due to COVID Wilma didnāt goĀ for her eye test screening for new spectacles for two years so this yearĀ she decided to go. āThe optometrist struggled to find a reading for my right eye but told me to choose a spectacle frame while he tested my husband.Ā
He tested my eyes again but still struggled to get a reading soĀ referred me to a specialist,āĀ Wilma explains.
āBeing deaf (Wilma becameĀ deaf at age three due to meningitis and her husband is also deaf),Ā I organised a sign languageĀ interpreter to accompany us.Ā
The ophthalmologist tested meĀ and said its bad news. I didnāt getĀ what choroidal melanoma really means and I asked the interpreter, really bad? He nodded.ā WilmaĀ was referred to another specialist.Ā Ā
In February 2022, the second specialist confirmed that Wilma had choroidal melanoma (a type of cancer of the eye) and was sent for a chest X-ray and an ultrasound of the liver.Ā
The specialist explained that thereĀ were two treatment options: radiation or enucleation (eye removal) and since most people donāt want their eye removed, he recommended radiation.Ā
When asked if Wilma experienced any symptoms, she responds that at times she did experience seeing black spots and what looked like a strain of hair, but only seen inside the eye. Ā
Plaque brachytherapy
The 59-year-old underwent once-off plaque brachytherapy. This treatment consists of a custom-made mould that is fitted over the eye and corresponds to the size of the tumour. A radioactive substance is applied to the inner surface of the mould. The mould is attached to the globe and remains there for five days while the tumourĀ is irradiated.Ā
āAfter the removal of the plaque which was inserted in my eye, I came back after a month for the doctor to check if the 8mm tumour had reduced which it had. After eight months, the tumour has shrunk to 5mm so nowĀ I only go for check-ups every four months.”
Getting back to work
Fortunately, Wilma had two weeksĀ off after the plaque brachytherapy.Ā āI was able to get back to work as I mostly work online with two sign language interpreters. Though, in the beginning it was hard because I stare at the interpreters for hours. Fortunately, my laptop is connected to a bigger TV screen which allows me more distance so as to relax my eyes a bit. But it was still difficult adjusting at first. Also, I read a lot late into the night to prepare for meetings, so I had to read lessĀ to give my eyes a break,ā Wilma says.
Wilma says her vision is the sameĀ as before though there is blurriness. “The doctor explained that the radiation was unfortunately onĀ the vision part of my eye. I try notĀ to let the blurriness bother me.”
Rare cancer
Even though ocular (choroidal) melanoma is rare, Wilma says her doctor has been so helpful in explaining it. āHe responds to all my questionsĀ via WhatsApp or email,ā she adds
Though finding a support group in South Africa hasnāt been that easy; thankfully Wilma found an online group. āWhile researching ocular melanoma, I came across a Facebook group that has a support group that meets weekly on Zoom. Unfortunately, I canāt join too often because the South African time that this group meets is 1am in the morning. Plus, I have to arrange for sign language interpreters, so itās difficult to get interpreters willing to be up 1am in the morning, even though there are a few who will do it for me. This group is very helpful,Ā as there are more people in the USA with this rare cancer. In SA there areĀ a few, but itās difficult to find them.Ā
I have found four. My desire is toĀ find other deaf people or signĀ language users with this sameĀ rare cancer so that I can communicate with them and share feedback.āĀ
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