KWANELE Asante-Shongwe, who had a long and painful journey through breast cancer treatment, has chosen to use her experience to help and educate others.
She is one of three women Sowetan spoke to about their challenges.
"I was diagnosed with breast cancer on April 25 2006 when I was 37 years old," Asante-Shongwe said.
The mother of two detected a lump in her breast while bathing, but only went to see a doctor three weeks later.
"[After diagnosis] I was told that I was young and should not worry."
She went for an ultrasound and afterwards insisted on having the lump removed. "After I had a lumpectomy [surgical removal of a tumour in a breast], the piece of flesh was tested and a very aggressive form of cancer was found," she said.
Asante-Shongwe, a lawyer by profession, was then told that she needed a double mastectomy.
After the removal of both her breasts, she went for a six-session chemotherapy regime at which further problems developed.
"After the fourth session of chemo, I asked my doctor about heart palpitations," she said.
Her calls to have her heart checked were ignored until a week after her final treatment session.
She was later diagnosed with a heart condition called cardiomyopathy as a result of the chemotherapy.
Asante-Shongwe advises women to insist on being checked when they feel something is wrong.
"Nobody knows your body better than you do," she said.
These days, Asante-Shongwe heads BreastSens, a non-governmental organisation which helps educate women about breast cancer.
She focuses on the plight facing black women with this disease in the context of African culture.
Although breast cancer is hereditary, it is quite rare for a family to have four members attacked by the disease as happened with the McWilliam and Winter families.
Sisters Melanie McWilliam and Lyndsay Winter helped each other after both were diagnosed with the disease within a year of each other.
Their mother and great-aunt are also breast cancer survivors.
McWilliam was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2008. "I have been very vigilant about going for mammograms and checking for lumps," she said.
It was during Christmas in 2007 that she found a lump under her arm which prompted her to get checked. She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer called HER-2. "I went through shock and fear. I asked myself if I was going to die," she said.
The mother of one, who had just turned 50, decided to have a right breast mastectomy followed by chemotherapy and radiation.
Winter, who is younger than McWilliam by four years, said she was not entirely shocked when she was diagnosed a year to the day her sister had been diagnosed.
"My husband had testicular cancer in 2007 and my sister had breast cancer in 2008, so cancer was a very familiar term for me," she said.
Winter chose to get chemotherapy first before deciding to have a double mastectomy.
"The first time I cried was after the mastectomy. It was emotionally difficult. It was like an assault on my femininity," she said.
McWilliam's treatment took nine months whilst Winter's took 18 months. - nkosin@sowetan.co.za
Helping women deal with breast cancer
KWANELE Asante-Shongwe, who had a long and painful journey through breast cancer treatment, has chosen to use her experience to help and educate others.
She is one of three women Sowetan spoke to about their challenges.
"I was diagnosed with breast cancer on April 25 2006 when I was 37 years old," Asante-Shongwe said.
The mother of two detected a lump in her breast while bathing, but only went to see a doctor three weeks later.
"[After diagnosis] I was told that I was young and should not worry."
She went for an ultrasound and afterwards insisted on having the lump removed. "After I had a lumpectomy [surgical removal of a tumour in a breast], the piece of flesh was tested and a very aggressive form of cancer was found," she said.
Asante-Shongwe, a lawyer by profession, was then told that she needed a double mastectomy.
After the removal of both her breasts, she went for a six-session chemotherapy regime at which further problems developed.
"After the fourth session of chemo, I asked my doctor about heart palpitations," she said.
Her calls to have her heart checked were ignored until a week after her final treatment session.
She was later diagnosed with a heart condition called cardiomyopathy as a result of the chemotherapy.
Asante-Shongwe advises women to insist on being checked when they feel something is wrong.
"Nobody knows your body better than you do," she said.
These days, Asante-Shongwe heads BreastSens, a non-governmental organisation which helps educate women about breast cancer.
She focuses on the plight facing black women with this disease in the context of African culture.
Although breast cancer is hereditary, it is quite rare for a family to have four members attacked by the disease as happened with the McWilliam and Winter families.
Sisters Melanie McWilliam and Lyndsay Winter helped each other after both were diagnosed with the disease within a year of each other.
Their mother and great-aunt are also breast cancer survivors.
McWilliam was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2008. "I have been very vigilant about going for mammograms and checking for lumps," she said.
It was during Christmas in 2007 that she found a lump under her arm which prompted her to get checked. She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer called HER-2. "I went through shock and fear. I asked myself if I was going to die," she said.
The mother of one, who had just turned 50, decided to have a right breast mastectomy followed by chemotherapy and radiation.
Winter, who is younger than McWilliam by four years, said she was not entirely shocked when she was diagnosed a year to the day her sister had been diagnosed.
"My husband had testicular cancer in 2007 and my sister had breast cancer in 2008, so cancer was a very familiar term for me," she said.
Winter chose to get chemotherapy first before deciding to have a double mastectomy.
"The first time I cried was after the mastectomy. It was emotionally difficult. It was like an assault on my femininity," she said.
McWilliam's treatment took nine months whilst Winter's took 18 months. - nkosin@sowetan.co.za
This article was first published in the printed newspaper and eEdition on 31 October 2012. Click on this link to view the eEdition
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