Cape Town - Daily Voice readers have opened their hearts to a woman who has a tumour which is covering two-thirds of her face.
In fact, she received so much positive feedback that Ntomboxolo Maqubela, 31, felt brave enough to go to a shopping mall for the first time in years.
And in further good news, she said a doctor has indicated that her tumour could possibly be removed.
She said a politician has offered to pay for her medical costs after reading her heart-wrenching story in the Daily Voice recently.
The politician, who asked to remain anonymous, has also paid for accommodation and transport for Ntomboxolo to see a new specialist.
Due to the giant tumour on her face, Ntomboxolo is in a lot of pain and has lost the ability to smell and speak.
She only drinks liquids and communicates via text messages on her cellphone.
She said cannabis oil is the only thing that helps with the pain.
In 2008, a year after she enrolled at CPUT to study electrical engineering, Ntomboxolo’s life changed forever.
What she thought was a bad bout of sinusitis, was later diagnosed as an Odontogenic tumour.
Over the years, surgeons have removed the tumour several times but it keeps growing back, and it had been deemed inoperable.
Picture: Supplied
Doctors have learnt that the tumour is embedded in areas of the skull which are difficult to reach surgically without damaging vital structures.
Ntomboxolo was forced to abandon her studies in Cape Town and is living with relatives in East London.
But now there is hope for a new life.
“Last week I was in Johannesburg to see a specialist, organised by a male politician,” she said.
“I am now waiting for the doctor to call me for the results, but the doctor said it can be operated. The politician paid for everything, and really gave me hope, and so are the people calling and visiting me every day, telling me God will heal me and that I will get better.
“I didn’t know South African people cared this much, they are feeling my pain. There’s also a male celebrity who suggested opening a trust fund account for the surgery.
“I will be heading to Port Elizabeth this week where a woman will be helping me with my nutrition since I have lost a lot of weight.”
She said it’s all thanks to her friends Sinazo Jayiya and Lusanda Gcinipasi who posted her plight on social media.
“Thank you to the [Daily] Voice for publishing my story. Please mention my friends because people were insulting them, saying they’re scamming people and that I died two years ago.
“Now I’m no longer shy about my sickness. I even went to a mall without worrying about people looking.”