Christa Mather – One foot in front of the other

Most people would be devastated to hear they have lung cancer, but once Christa Mather learnt that a targeted therapy offered new hope for people with the type of cancer she has, she simply put one foot in front of the other.

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Christa Mather (65) lives in Parktown, Gauteng with her husband, Warren. They have a daughter, Katherine (32). 

Around April 2024, Christa developed a cough. “It was non-stop coughing; I couldn’t even talk, which isn’t a bad thing. It felt like something was stuck in my throat,” Christa explains.

“I went to a GP, thinking that because I was overweight, maybe it was acid reflux. I was prescribed medication and the doses kept on increasing but the coughing didn’t decrease.”

Christa made an appointment with a cardiologist as her father had passed away from a heart attack and there is a history of high cholesterol in her family, and since she had never seen a cardiologist, she thought this would be a good time to do so.

In July, she underwent a heart scan; her heart was in good condition, however, a mass on her lung was detected. The cardiologist referred her to a pulmonologist, who then requested that she come in for a bronchoscopy. 

Unfortunately, the scope couldn’t reach the mass and since Christa had a month-long overseas trip planned in two days’ time, she was told to come back after the holiday.

“The trip was lovely. I was just coughing the whole time,” Christa recalls.

Two biopsies

Once back from holiday, she underwent a transthoracic needle biopsy under local anaesthetic, during which a sample of fluid near the lung was taken through her back. She says it was a weird feeling; she could feel a presence and then a sharp but short pain. Unfortunately, the results were inconclusive, so she underwent another biopsy. This time, she was put under general anaesthetic and a surgical lung biopsy through the chest was performed. 

Female doctor requested

Christa recalls receiving the news while   at work as surreal. She explains, “No one   in our family has had cancer and I wanted more information before I told my husband and daughter. I told my cousin and we went to my first appointment with the oncologist. I requested a female doctor as I was tired of seeing male doctors, and I’m so thankful for her. She is wonderful.” 

The oncologist explained that Christa has Stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer with an EGFR mutation. This type of lung cancer is commonly found in people who have never smoked.

“I asked the oncologist: Is it because I smoked for a very short period in my twenties? Is it because both my parents smoked? But she reassured me that it wasn’t. Thankfully, I stopped my social smoking due to developing acne on my neck.”

The oncologist went on to explain that since Christa has an EGFR mutation, there  is a targeted therapy for this specific cancer which has shown impressive results. Before this drug, outcomes for patients were poor, with survival sometimes measured in only a few months.

“She told me that this cancer likes to spread to the brain. I was more worried about it being in my brain than my lungs. But thankfully, it hadn’t spread to my brain but was found in my lymph nodes,” Christa explains.

“When I heard that there was a specific drug to treat the cancer, I was relieved and I could process the diagnosis and tell my family I have lung cancer but there is a promising treatment.”

Family response

Christa’s husband and daughter were shocked by the news but accepted it gracefully and most of all wanted her to get better. 

“Knowing that there was this drug gave us hope and the oncologist comforted us greatly,” Warren says.

Christa adds, “Knowing this miracle drug has changed the face of non-small cell lung cancer (EGFR mutation), I didn’t see the need to google the cancer I have.”

Targeted therapy

Christa started the targeted therapy in November 2024 and was instructed to take the oral medication at the same time every day. 

“In the beginning, I experienced extreme diarrhoea. Luckily at that stage I was working from home two days a week so that helped. But I had two very unfortunate and bad instances at work and thank God we were only ladies,” Christa explains.

Other side effects Christa experiences include very sore nerve endings in her fingers, and her hair texture has changed too; it has become wavy and dry, and her scalp is so tender that she can’t use a hair dryer. She adds that these side effects  come and go in phases. 

Almost two years on the targeted therapy, Christa says she has learnt her triggers, such as spicy food and too much sugar, and adapted to the other changes like putting oil on her hair.

Medical aid costs

Christa’s medical aid covers 80% of the cost (over R100 000) and the remaining 20% she is liable for. Fortunately, her oncologist applied to a patient assistance programme on her behalf and the programme covers the shortfall. 

Temporary disability

When Christa was diagnosed, she informed her line manager who was very gracious and said if she needs any rest, she must let her know. 

Christa adds, “I think since COVID, wellness has become top of mind. We have wellness webinars every week, let it be on addiction, stress, or other issues.”

In March 2026, Christa’s employer implemented that all staff must be office-based and for three months Christa was travelling to and from work. However, Christa felt the fatigue and wasn’t managing everything. 

“I wasn’t doing my job properly and when I got home, I didn’t want to cook and  my household tasks were heaping up, even though I have a helper twice a week. I could sleep for three hours after work and then still sleep a full night, so I need a lot of sleep,”  she explains.

So, she applied for temporary disability, which commenced in July and she will go on full retirement in November. She worked two days a week until August to help with the handover as she felt it was unfair to leave the new person in the lurch.

Quality of life 

Besides the fatigue, Christa says her quality of life is good. She has stopped coughing and adds that within a month of treatment, there was a marked difference. The cancer in the lymph nodes is no longer detectable and the tumour on her lung has shrunk.

“I had a scan in April this year and it was the first time that the cancer hadn’t shrunk. In my opinion, the full month of driving to and from work every day may have had an impact. Rest is essential,” she says.

When asked how she has accepted the diagnosis and her new normal, she says, “You have the drug, then God (your faith), and family. Warren has been extremely supportive just by listening and talking about it. I don’t often speak about faith, but once you face death, your faith system becomes vital. It helped me immensely; at times I was down and just by reading daily devotions brought peace and calmness.” 

Christa sees determination as one foot in front of the other which is exactly the approach she is taking.

Looking to the future

Now that Christa is retired, she hopes to volunteer at an adoption home close to her house. “My daughter has said she won’t be having children, so I want to feed the babies, hold them, and talk to them. I also want to get more involved with my church and their soup kitchen. Other goals include starting a vegetable garden, exercising more, and, of course, spending more time with Warren.”

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]