Exhibition captures triumph of courageous women

Cape Town-150903-Photographer Darren Francis before the opening of his exhibition 'Breaking Down'. He aims to create awareness of breast Cancer while bearing testament to how women fight against the disease. Picture Jeffrey Abrahams. Reporter Lisa Isaacs

Cape Town-150903-Photographer Darren Francis before the opening of his exhibition 'Breaking Down'. He aims to create awareness of breast Cancer while bearing testament to how women fight against the disease. Picture Jeffrey Abrahams. Reporter Lisa Isaacs

Published Sep 3, 2015

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Lisa Isaacs

IN A testament to the strength of women, the journey of nine who have survived breast cancer has been captured in an art exhibition which opened in the city yesterday.

The Breaking Dawn exhibition at the Youngblood Art Gallery, created by Darren Francis, a photographer and spokesperson at the provincial Health Department, features women from different areas in Cape Town.

Contrasting a brick-walled background, the pictures are mostly in black and white, and do not depict the women as naked, or show their surgical scars.

They show the women standing triumphant, having beaten cancer.

According to the Cancer Association of SA, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women of all races and ethnic groups, and in South Africa, the lifetime risk for breast cancer in women is one in 33.

Francis said the work was sparked by a conversation with a breast cancer survivor, and he embarked on a seven month project to discover the stories of those who survived breast cancer.

“I wanted to create an awareness project and tell peoples stories, their joy, their pleasure and heartbreak,” he said.

“For many women, I found that breast cancer was something they did not want to speak about.

“In some cases there are women who had lost both of their breasts.”

Francis said the exhibition also aimed at encouraging self-testing and to show those diagnosed that they were not alone in their battle.

One of the subjects of the exhibition, Unity Jegels, said her life was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“It was during routine breast self-examination that I discovered a lump in my right breast and consulted the general practitioner who referred me for an urgent mammogram.

“Within days, I consulted a surgeon and an oncologist, and my life seemed to be spiralling out of control. Even as the surgeon spoke those words “you have cancer” I wondered, ‘why me?’ ”

She said the thought of an early death crossed her mind even though she knew of many cancer survivors.

“It was easier to tell my daughters and my sisters first before I gathered enough courage to tell my husband, my brothers and my son.

“To see the shock on their faces sent me into emotional turmoil. We cried and prayed a lot to get through the experience,” she said.

Jegels’ surgery was performed in July last year to remove the lump in her right breast as well as the affected lymph nodes.

“To my immense relief, the bone density scan came up with clear results that the cancer had not spread to any other parts of my body.

“After nine days in hospital, my drain eventually ran clear and I was discharged to recover further at home,” she said.

She had 10 sessions of chemotherapy, followed by 28 radiation treatments.

She has been given the all-clear, and finished her treatment four months ago.

“As women, we need to take better care of our health and stay in tune with our bodies. Regular health check-ups are important to track any physical and other changes that may have adverse effects on one’s health,” she said.

Her sister Maryan Haefele, a radiographer at The Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital, said she had seen patients as young as 16 diagnosed with breast cancer.

She said it was essential that women perform examinations and seek treatment.

The exhibition runs until the end of the month.

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