DURBAN - A Chatsworth man is on a mission to raise awareness about cancer after losing his brother to the disease.
Luvalan Pillay, 24, a teacher at Astra Primary School in Croftdene, is determined to bring attention to the dangers of ignoring cancer symptoms.
His 18-year-old brother, Lucalis, was fresh out of school and ready to start new adventures when he was rushed to RK Khan Hospital in January last year.
He was admitted to the trauma unit after vomiting and losing sensation in his legs.
At the time, doctors suspected that Lucalis had overdosed.
Luvalan said: “The doctors told us he might have taken brake fluid and treated him accordingly, but later his heart stopped and he slipped into a coma.”
Lucalis died the next day, but his family refused to believe he had given up on life.
“We knew Lucalis would never have done something like that because he was religiously inclined,” he said.
For months, the grieving family searched for the truth. Recently post-mortem results revealed the man had unknowingly been suffering from cancer.
Luvalan said: “We just wanted everyone to know the truth, my brother had cancerous tumours that formed in his testicles and moved to his kidneys, liver, lungs and brain; he died when the tumours started to burst, leading to a brain haemorrhage.”
Still reeling from the tragedy, Luvalan began the Bokem Legacy, an online blog to inspire and motivate young people to live life to the full by sharing inspiring stories about local leaders.
Last week, the Bokem Legacy held a cancer awareness event in Chatsworth where communities were called together to pay tribute to lost loved ones, and - in their honour - raise funds for the Chatsworth Hospice.
“Males, especially, ignore signs of disease and try to act bravely, but we need to know this affects us as well,” Luvalan said. According to the Cancer Association of South Africa, more than 100000 South Africans are diagnosed with cancer every year.