September 30, 2024 Word for Word Media

Breast cancer survivor, Devi Chetram, tells us how Lifegain Advanced Nutritional Supplement aided her recovery as well as gave her the boost that she needed to tackle everyday life, including the passing of her husband.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

Devi Chetram (67), a widow, lives in Johannesburg, Gauteng. She has three adult children. Breast cancer diagnosis Devi was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer in 2007. She had multiple chemotherapy sessions before a mastectomy. “During my cancer treatment, I experienced fatigue, weakness, nausea, loss…

September 30, 2024 Word for Word Media

Helen Fivelman shares how she is handling metastatic pancreatic cancer and how the diagnosis has made her more aware of the beauty of life.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

Helen Fivelman (66) lives in Glenhazel, Gauteng. She is a widow and has one daughter and three grandchildren.  Last year May, Helen was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; this came after a series of medical investigations. Three months prior Helen was fatigued which she put down to the fact that she swam five times a week and that her…

September 30, 2024 Word for Word Media

After two liver cancer surgeries, Liza Truter was told she had roughly a few months to live. Ten years later, she tells the story of how she changed her lifestyle and miraculously survived. 

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

Liza Truter (62) lives in Gauteng with her husband. They have two children and three grandchildren. In 2014, while waiting in the car for my husband, I stretched, and it felt like something had torn inside of me. I couldn’t breathe and was in extreme pain. After a GP consultation, I was…

July 31, 2024 Word for Word Media

Pieter Le Roux shares how his leukaemia diagnosis steered his counselling career into making valuable life connections and how he sees this as what life is all about. 

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

Pieter Le Roux (44) lives in Helderkruin, Gauteng. He is a cat dad.  After a trip to USA, in December 2013, for the Top 100 upcoming youth pastors, Pieter was extremely tired. He put it down to travelling. Three months went by and his fatigue was at a high.  “I went to my GP; when…

July 31, 2024 Word for Word Media

Despite a relapse in 2021, eight years after his initial diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, Colin Smith says recovering from COVID has been worse than his recurring blood cancer.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

Colin Smith (70) lives in Johannesburg, Gauteng with his wife. They have three children and two grandchildren.  Diagnosis  At the age of 59, in February 2013, Colin experienced discomfort in the top right side of his abdomen. He thought it was a pulled muscle and adds that he hadn’t seen a doctor since undergoing…

July 31, 2024 Word for Word Media

Reverend Kosie Loots shares how his faith, family, and friends pulled him through the toughest time of prostate cancer.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

Reverend Kosie Loots (76) lives in Randburg, Gauteng with his wife, Christine. They have two children and three grandchildren.  Regular check-ups I firmly believe that taking care of my physical health is essential. In 1978 I made a promise to myself and the Lord to visit my doctor every six months for regular check-ups. During these visits, my PSA count was consistently normal until the results from March…

June 2, 2024 Word for Word Media

Graeme Le Roux tells us how cryoablation saved him from having major surgery, to remove a cancerous tumour, that would have left him with a urostomy bag.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

Graeme Le Roux (56) lives in Kloof, KwaZulu-Natal with his wife, Nicci, and their two children, aged 23 and 19. Graeme has had health issues since he was 29 years old; he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract, which causes severe…

June 2, 2024 Word for Word Media

In honour of International Cancer Survivors Day, Dylan-Jay Vankeirsbilck shares his experience of his first-ever operation, a full neck dissection, that eventually led to an oesophageal cancer diagnosis.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

Dylan-Jay Vankeirsbilck (34) lives in East London. In March 2022, while at work Dylan-Jay noticed a little lump on the right side of his neck. Thinking it could just be an enlarged lymph node and because it wasn’t painful, he didn’t think too much of it though his girlfriend, Natasha, was concerned….

June 2, 2024 Word for Word Media

Des Watkins tells us about how a drug trial and surgery gave him his second life, how losing his first wife to metastatic breast cancer impacted him, and the joy of finding love again.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

Desmond Watkins (67) lives in Umkomaas, KwaZulu-Natal with his second wife, Burnice. He has two adult children from his first marriage. Diagnosed in 2003 Des and Glynis, Des’ first wife, were staying in Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) at the time when Des began experiencing…

April 1, 2024 Word for Word Media

George Eliades shares how the taste of his favourite treat led to a diagnosis of tongue cancer and how his wife’s support gave him hope throughout treatment.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

George Eliades (52) lives in Parys, Free State with his wife, Wilna. They have two daughters. George loved eating chocolate every night before bed until, in October 2022, the chocolate burnt his tongue. He thought it was weird so went to a dentist. It was treated as an ulcer with salt water and an oral…

February 7, 2024 Word for Word Media

Samantha Edwards, a successful career woman and mother, shares her unexpected journey with colon cancer and how a basket of complementary therapies has aided her recovery.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

Samantha Edwards (42) lives in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal with her husband and two daughters, aged three and two. Sam’s cancer journey began in October 2022 not long after the birth of her second daughter. With two children born within a span of 15 months, her symptoms were easily dismissed with the demands of being a busy, working…

December 1, 2023 Word for Word Media

Winnie Ndlovu has been in remission for five years. She shares her cervical cancer journey.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

Winnie Ndlovu (53) lives in Vosloorus, Gauteng. She is a widow and has four children aged 33, 30, 25 and 12. Stage 2 cervical cancer Winnie started going for Pap smears at the age of 45. When she went for a Pap smear in March 2018, at the age of 48, the results showed abnormal cells and she was reffered to a hospital where a biopsy was…