Nkamo Mpakanyane – Delayed but not denied

After being assured by an oncologist that she didn’t have cancer, Nkamo Mpakanyane was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma a year later. She reflects on this journey.

Nkamogeleng (Nkamo) Mpakanyane (38) lives in Centurion, Gauteng, and has a 10-year-old son.

In December 2023, Nkamo was feeling unwell. She put it down to work-related stress as her commute to work was long. She also had a swollen neck gland which had been there for a year; a doctor said it was a reaction to the COVID vaccine and that it was nothing to worry about. 

After a long day at work she wasn’t feeling well (dizzy) so she went to casualty. The doctor wanted to admit her, but Nkamo declined though followed the doctor’s order to get a sonar of the neck. 

“The result said possible lymphoma. I didn’t know what that was, so I googled it and when I saw it was cancer, I bawled my eyes out. I went back to the doctor at casualty; she calmed me down and admitted me,” Nkamo explains.

A biopsy of the neck gland was done. Due  to it being December, Nkamo was discharged and had to wait until January for the result. Her GP phoned the doctor saying it wasn’t right to keep Nkamo waiting in limbo. The results were eventually released and showed no cancer, she was referred to a specialist physician. 

“The physician told me that she doesn’t know what to do as the CT scan shows lymphoma, but the biopsy doesn’t and she can’t find anything else wrong with me, so she needed to refer me to an oncologist,” Nkamo explains.

Oncologist consultation

In February 2024, Nkamo saw an oncologist and after reviewing her results, he assured her that she didn’t have cancer. When she asked about a new symptom she was experiencing (sweating but only from her head) while sleeping, he put it down to perimenopause and told her to get her hormones checked. She was only 35 years old. 

“I was relieved as he told me what I wanted to hear that I didn’t have cancer,” she says.

Wellness day that saved her life

Despite feeling exhausted, Nkamo carried on with life and started a new job. In May 2025, she took part in a company wellness day, and a nurse explained that her haemoglobin level was completely off and that Nkamo shouldn’t have been walking around and needed a blood transfusion.

Despite taking tinctures to help with her so-called hot flushes, Nkamo still experienced them and because the swollen neck gland was still there, she immediately consulted with a new specialist physician.

Lymphoma diagnosis

Nkamo was admitted and two biopsies were taken: one from the neck and one from under her arm. The physician explained that there are many things that could impact the neck biopsy, such as a throat infection, hence why she is also doing a biopsy on an underarm gland too. Both glands were surgically removed and tested. A bone marrow biospy as well as many other tests were also conducted. 

“While we were waiting for the results, I was discharged and the surgeon explained that the lymph nodes were very matted (not bean shaped). I was called in to see the physician, and, in my mind, it wasn’t cancer, as the oncologist assured me that it wasn’t. I was expecting some weird autoimmune disease. She didn’t waste any time and told me I had lymphoma. I kept on saying but he told me I didn’t have cancer,” Nkamo recalls.

The mother was told that because it was found above and below the diaphragm, it’s likely to be Stage 3 or 4 non-Hodgkin follicular lymphoma.

“I was crying so much that she insisted I get a loved one to pick me up to ensure I got home safely. I’m forever grateful to her as she took great interest and got to the bottom of this,” Nkamo expresses.

Breaking the news to family

It was Nkamo’s parents who picked her up from the hospital. Her father took it badly and walked away; this was because he had lost his father and uncle to prostate cancer and his mother to lung cancer. He then came back and prayed for his daughter. He also later bought her the book Fight of My Life:  A Doctor’s Battle with Cancer that played a major role in her journey. Nkamo shared the news with her immediate family (except her son) and kept the matter private from everyone else. Her family pledged their full support. Her son was told at a later stage.

Despite waking up that night and crying continuously, Nkamo decided in the shower the next day that she was going to continue living her life and God will restore her.

Treatment

Nkamo was referred to another oncologist and her mother joined. 

“My mom commented that she wasn’t going to panic, but rather continue to pray over my life and trust God. The oncologist explained that the lymphoma I have isn’t curable and I may relapse after treatment, but it can be managed and pushed into remission,” Nkamo says.

The diagnosis was confirmed as Stage 3B; the proposed treatment was R-CHOP regimen (combines a targeted therapy drug with chemotherapy and a steroid) which Nkamo started in July and finished in November.

When Nkamo heard that chemotherapy was involved, all she could think about was how she was going to continue working, being a mom, and finishing her master’s degree. She informed her boss and a schedule that would accommodate her was worked out.

After four sessions of R-CHOP, Nkamo ended up in ICU as she had sepsis caused by a bacterial infection, with her neutrophil count extremely low. She recovered and continued the last two cycles of R-CHOP.

In January 2026, Nkamo went for a check-up, and a PET scan showed full metabolic remission. Maintenance chemotherapy was proposed but Nkamo’s medical aid declined because it wasn’t covered. She was comfortable with this decision.

Online support group

Nkamo adds that besides her faith, joining a Facebook group Living with Lymphoma really helped. 

“It was on this group that I saw many survivors sharing studies that suggested maintenance chemotherapy doesn’t push you any further in remission and some had relapsed during maintenance. By informing myself and asking questions I was grateful that the medical aid had made that decision. The case manager also highlighted that no clinically established evidence shows that maintenance therapy for follicular lymphoma prevents relapse. She explained that undergoing maintenance treatment for two years could further compromise  my immune system without guaranteeing remission,” she says. 

Growing into Prosperity and life

Nkamo has grown spiritually and matured tremendously during this life-changing event. “It pushed me to have more faith and trust in God and showed me to stop doubting myself. I completed a Master of Commerce and graduated in May; this showed me what I’m truly capable of,” she says.

Nkamo sees green as symbolising prosperity, renewal, and life; she walks into this with the utmost confidence. 

Laurelle Williams is the editor at Word for Word Media. She graduated from AFDA with a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Live Performance. She has a love for storytelling and sharing emotions through the power of words. Write to [email protected]