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Nomsa Manaka dances out of cancer

Picture credit: Vele Nhlapo.
Picture credit: Vele Nhlapo.

Seasoned choreographer and dancer Nomsa Manaka has more reasons to live after beating stage-four ovarian cancer.

Manaka, who has choreographed international productions, said she was living her life to the fullest.

She said when her husband Matsemela Manaka and brother Prince Kupi died, she lost interest in the arts.

After completing five months of exhaustive chemotherapy, Manaka said she has a reason to live.

"I am so creative that I even wake up at night and write ideas down. I am looking forward to life. I am glad that I had cancer, for it was a wake-up call. I am living my life to the fullest."

Manaka was diagnosed with ovarian cancer last year. Initially, doctors had said she had a cyst.

"On the day that I was admitted for a cyst operation, doctors told me that I had ovarian cancer and it had spread.

"I could not believe it. I remember laughing it off. Two days later, I had to start chemotherapy."

She said chemotherapy was the worst experience of her life. She did six sessions in five months. She is on remission and she is required to go for checkups every six weeks.

"Chemotherapy was hectic and it can kill you on its own. After it, you cannot eat or even drink water for five days. Once it's out of your system you can start eating and walking again.

"I told myself that I would either succumb to this or choose to be happy. After chemo sessions, I would go out with my friends and live as if it was my last day."

Some of her hair is only growing back now.

Manaka said it was during her recovery that she developed an idea to create a dance piece titled Dancing out of Cancer. It will be staged at the Joburg Theatre in October.

The show is staged to raise funds for cancer patients. It also tells her story.

In the production, she worked with Hugh Masekela, Lorcia Cooper, David Mashabela and Phala Oekeditse Phala.

"I want the story to touch all those suffering and affected by cancer," she said.

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