Sirputh shares her experience in overcoming breast cancer

Breast cancer survivor Ronicka Sirputh.



NASIPHI GIGABA

The Pink Phoenix Cancer Foundation has appointed Faculty of Arts and Design’s admin assistant, Ronicka Sirputh, as its Breast Cancer Ambassador.
Sirputh was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and successfully underwent treatment that saw her beating the disease.  As October Is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month- dedicated to educating people about the illness- Sirputh shares her journey to overcoming one of the most difficult times in her life. 
In mid-2016, she noticed a “ball” on her right breast but never for one moment thought it was a cancerous lump. It was later in the year that she finally decided to have a medical check-up to see what it was. Sirputh then went to the Durban University of Technology’s Radiology clinic where she had an ultrasound done and was advised to take the printouts to her doctor.
“Throughout December, I suffered with intense back pain (this was in no way related to my cancer) but to this day I believe that it was a sign from God that this needed to be checked out. I went to see my GP who referred me to a neurosurgeon. The neurosurgeon booked me to be admitted in hospital because she needed to get to the cause of the intense back pain I was feeling.. At that point I felt as I was already in hospital I might as well get my right breast checked out”
A general surgeon sent her for blood tests, a mammogram and an ultrasound, which came back inconclusive, he then suggested  a biopsy to be absolutely sure.
“I was told that the results would only be available on 17 January 2017, at that time to me that was just a date, never did I ever imagine that this day would change my life forever. At no point during my entire examination/medical procedures did it even cross my mind that the lump I found was cancer.”
On the morning of the test results, she drove herself to the hospital as everyone around her was tense and she was the only one calm.
“When I reached the doctors rooms the receptionist sent me straight in to see the doctor, I greeted him with a smile, he did not look happy at all. He couldn’t have broken the news to me in a more gentler way, “I’m sorry my girl, you have cancer”. I did not react. I sat there and then he told me not to worry as we were going to get it removed.”
She got home and broke the news to her mother but she did not cry nor show any emotion but asked to be given space to deal with the news. This was the Sirputh’s biggest tragedy since losing her father in 2012.
“No one could believe that I being 36 could have cancer, they all believed that  someone made a mistake. I knew nothing about cancer, I knew it existed but I never took the time to educate myself about what cancer really was.”
After  a successful lumpectomy and lymph node removal surgery Sirputh was told that she was now cancer free.  A week after her operation her wound became infected and an abscess formed so she had to be rushed to hospital again to have an emergency operation. After the operation, she was referred to an oncologist so she could start chemotherapy.
The oncologist explained to her that she had stage two cancer, triple negative and would undergo the worst type of chemotherapy for six months.
“My mother was by my side through it all. She came to all my chemo sessions and sat there for four hours at a time while I was given the chemo through an IV drip. After chemo, the next step in my journey was radiation on the operated site, every day for 6 weeks, once again I pulled up the courage and made it through.”
To date Sirputh is cancer free and is working with the Pink Phoenix and Cupcakes of Hope to raise awareness about the disease.
“I always say yes cancer chose me, but it was me who chose to defeat cancer. I am not a cancer survivor, I am a thriver. I would really like to use my experience to encourage others in my position and help them overcome as I know how overwhelming this can be.”

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