Photos by Chantal Drummond Photography | [email protected] | www.chantaldphoto.co.za
To celebrate her 10th year of being cancer-free this year, Zelka Spoja-Vieira is throwing a survivor themed party. She outwitted breast cancer, outlasted cervical cancer and outplayed everything life has thrown at her. The mother of two shares her story with us.
Zelka Spoja-Vieira (43) lives in Constantia Kloof, JHB. She is in the process of a divorce. She has two sons, aged 14 and 11.
We have all heard about the HPV vaccination and how it can save lives but how exactly does it work? Specialist gynaecologist, Dr Pam Pillay, expounds on this in light of January being Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.
In 2014 Discovery Health member Chantel Rall completed her first full Ironman triathlon. But what makes her fitness journey remarkable is that just two years prior, she had cervical cancer. Sitting in the doctorās rooms in April 2012, 34-year-old Chantel Rall heard the words that she had been dreading, āYou have cervical cancer.ā Fast-forward just 26 months though, Chantel had not only fully recovered, but she had also completed her first full Ironman triathlon. Hereās how she did it. āIt all started with a quick visit to my doctor for my yearly check up. I hadnāt been for a couple…
Cervical cancer develops in the cervix – the low, narrow mouth of the uterus (womb) that opens into the vagina. The Cervix protects your uterus. Cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted primarily through sexual activity. Fast Facts Up to 80% of sexually active women will acquire an HPV infection at some point in their lives. Of these infections up to 38.6% will be from Oncogenic HPV types (cancer causing). Persistent infection with oncogenic HPV types may lead to cervical cancer. Globally 70% of all cervical cancer is caused by HPV 18 and…
Invasive cervical cancer is oneĀ of the mostĀ commonĀ cancersĀ found in women and in developingĀ countries it remains the second mostĀ common causeĀ of cancer death in women. It is estimated that there are more than 500 000 new cases of cervical cancer every year, with in excess of 80% in developing countries like South Africa. In addition to these statistics, there are also a significant amount of women who develop premalignant cervical changes which can progress to cancer without appropriate screening and management. The central cause of cervix cancer is the Human Papiloma Virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus, which is responsible for 99% of…