Cape Town - Eleven-year-old Imange Bomela is beautiful and stylish and no one will stop her. Not even cancer.
Imange was first diagnosed with leukaemia in 2017.
Her mother Sindiswa discovered that her daughter had a loss of appetite, dizziness and bruises but she did not take it seriously, as she thought it was due to playing. A loose tooth also came out, she was bleeding through the night and was too weak to get up the following morning. Sindiswa then went to the doctor, who said Imange was weak, anaemic and dehydrated. They called for an ambulance and took her to the hospital. They ran tests and confirmed it was leukaemia.
However, while Imange was in remission, the cancer came back last year and she is now on treatment.
“She lost her eyesight and I immediately brought her back to hospital because I thought it was a side-effect of the chemotherapy. They did an eye test, said it was something and we were referred to the oncology department. Imange immediately sensed that her cancer was back. The relapse was confirmed, and it was the first time Imange cried,” she said.
“She is beautiful and stylish and no one will stop her from that. She loves playing with children and learning new things in life,” added Sindiswa.
As World Cancer Day was celebrated yesterday, Cansa’s Tough Living with Cancer (TLC) Western Cape co-ordinator, Anthea-Lynn Lewis, said to work with children fighting cancer is probably the hardest job.
“From the start of diagnosis throughout treatment, remission and many times, preparing for dying. I see the highs and the lows of children and teenagers fighting cancer. The fact that they smile, no matter what they are facing.
“I have 307 children and teenagers that I am currently working with. I know each by name, diagnosis, area, as well as something unique about them. I don’t see this as work, but rather as a calling. I am privileged to be on the journey, with each and every child. Yes, there are lows, but we have so many highs too. One thing I continually teach the children and teenagers is to live each day to the fullest, as tomorrow is promised to no one,” she said.
Meanwhile, head of radiation oncology at Tygerberg Hospital, and associate professor at Stellenbosch University, Hannah Simonds, said if patients wait longer than eight weeks after a cancer diagnosis there is a chance the cancer will increase in size and be less responsive to treatment.
“As patients were unable to access the primary health clinics with symptoms during the long lockdown in 2020, there were delays in referrals to hospitals. In turn, the hospitals were asked to reduce clinic appointments and surgery lists which all led to the increased chance of a delayed diagnosis and treatment. Transport to/from hospitals was also very challenging. Hospital beds were full with Covid patients during the big peaks leading to reduced ability to admit cancer patients.
“As explained the delay in access was very challenging for cancer patients, even to attend follow up appointments and palliative care. The cancer units in the Western Cape stayed open and saw anyone who could attend but in 2020 the patient numbers were less so there is no doubt not every patient could access the care they needed. The access was much improved in 2021,” she said.
Weekend Argus