Aug/Sept 2021 Archives

Multiple myeloma Oscar Chalupsky: Paddling against the multiple myeloma tide

August 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

Olympian and former World Surfski Champion, Oscar Chalupsky, shares his upstream battle with multiple myeloma. Oscar Chalupsky (58) and his wife, Clare, alternate living in South Africa and Portugal. They have two adult children, Luke and Hannah. Success in the sports world started early for Oscar. He started competing internationally at age 14; made the National Surf Lifesaving Team at age 15; was the first person in the world to win both Junior and Senior Ironman, aged 15; played for KwaZulu-Natal Schools’ Rugby and SA Schools’ Water polo. He became the youngest canoe Springbok, at age 18, and was…

Hodgkin Lymphoma Thami Tshabalala: the Batsumi biker

August 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Thami Tshabalala, a Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor, tells us more about his treatment journey and his love for bikes. Thami Tshabalala (37) lives in Soweto, Gauteng. Diagnosis In 2017, Thami had a persistent cough. “I went to the chemist and self-medicated as I don’t like going to doctors,” he explains. “However, it didn’t help so I got something else; that also didn’t help so I decided to go to the doctor.” By this time, Thami had lost weight, was itchy all over his body, had swollen glands under his armpits and was experiencing fatigue. A chest X-ray showed that Thami had growths on his…

For the boys Adapting to enjoy full sexual intimacy

August 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Dr Anthony Smith expands on ways to adapt after prostate cancer treatment so sexual function can be improved and sexual intimacy enhanced. The prostate’s anatomy is central to the nerves, muscles and vessels that supply the genitals so any damage to this area can have profound consequences. Its therefore no surprise that men fear this cancer and its potential to substantially damage their sexuality and masculine identity. So, let’s look at the side effects. Surgical treatments A cornerstone of treatment is a radical prostatectomy, now done as a nerve-sparing procedure which has improved the outcome such that up to 75% of men can expect to…

Cardio oncology The golden hour of a heart attack

August 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Cardiologist, Dr YT Singh, educates us on why and how a heart attack occurs and the importance of getting to a hospital within the golden hour. How does the heart function? To function, heart muscle needs an energy supply of oxygenated blood via three major coronary arteries: left anterior descending (LAD), right coronary artery and circumflex. At any time, demand for energy by the heart muscle and supply to heart muscle by those three arteries must equate: demand must equal supply. If there is any imbalance in this equation: for instance, increased demand for energy by the heart muscle (manifest by fast heart rate, thickened…

Nutrition and Cancer Diet and your heart

August 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Dietitian, Berna Harmse, shares a diet checklist to help prevent or slow down the development of heart disease. Cardiovascular disease is a combination of illnesses of the heart, blood and arteries. High cholesterol, arteriosclerosis (hardening of arteries), heart failure, heart attacks and strokes are part of this. Cholesterol Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is both made by the liver and absorbed from our diet. When there is an excess amount of cholesterol in the blood, small amounts can start to collect on the inner walls of the arteries. This causes the artery walls to harden and thicken, decreasing the…

Cervical Cancer Carcinoma of the cervix

August 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Dr Nirasha Chiranjan, a radiation oncologist, revises the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical manifestations and diagnosis of carcinoma of the cervix. South Africa has a high incidence of carcinoma of the cervix and it is a leading cause of cancer mortality. of all gynaecological cancers, cervical cancer is the focus of the most government public policy work and active intervention. This is largely because cervical cancer is the only gynaecological cancer that can be detected in a precancerous stage through population screening. In nations that run organised screening programmes, cervical cancer screening has been one of the great public health successes of the…

In the Spotlight 90 years of CANSA making a difference

August 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Together with CANSA partners, Oncology Buddies congratulates CANSA for the 90 years of constant care and service to the cancer community. From small beginnings in 1931, CANSA grew and evolved throughout the years to what it is today. It’s thanks to numerous partnerships, many donations, and the utmost dedication and perseverance throughout these 90 years that CANSA can still offer the following services: Cancer Screening – to enable early detection and treatment. Care Homes – for patients receiving treatment. Offering accommodation, meals and transport. TLC Lodges – for children and families affected by cancer. Stoma Clinics – supporting patients…

For the boys Mandla Zondo: lobbying hope

August 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Mandla Zondo tells us how losing his brother to prostate cancer in the same year he was diagnosed motivated him to lobby hope and in turn co-found CanSurvive Kwa-Thema Support Group. Mandla Zondo (72) lives in Springs, Gauteng. He is married and has two children and six grandchildren. Mandla started his yearly prostate cancer screening in 2011. In 2013, his GP referred him to a urologist as he had an enlarged prostate. Mandla’s prostate was so enlarged that it restricted urination and he had to undergo a cystoscopy (endoscopy of the urinary bladder via the urethra). He was then put…

Oncofertility The defence of the ovaries

August 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Many oncology treatments may affect women’s fertility and ability to have children in the future. Thankfully, there are many options available to preserve the eggs in the ovaries before you start your oncology treatment. Dr Lizle Oosthuizen explains further. There are many strategies to limit the damage on the ovaries, such as surgically lifting them out of the area of radiation or using shields. Your doctor may recommend taking, a GnRH agonist, to ‘shut down’ the ovaries during treatment and try to protect them. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been shown to improve future fertility and shouldn’t be relied on alone. …