What started as an invitation to 8 people to join me for an 8km run to celebrate 8 years of being cancer-free on my birthday, quickly turned out to be a Breast Cancer Awareness campaign.On Saturday, 17 October 2020, I celebrated my birthday in an extraordinary manner with 210 people who turned up for “My Pink Ribbon Run”. With this unexpected interest shown by family, friends and my wider community, I decided to redesign the route from an 8 km run to a 5 km Fun Walk/Run with the assistance of my fitness coach, Meke Namindo of Mekenificent Wellness Centre in Windhoek-West
It was truly humbling to see such a great number of people turning up, ready to hit the road before 6 am on a Saturday morning. But also, a sad reminder of how many walkers and runners were affected by Breast Cancer in one way or another.
Huge thanks to everyone who supported this initiative, enabling us to donate N.dollars 5,250 to the Cancer Association of Namibia for Breast Cancer Care. My Pink Ribbon Run is officially an annual event of the Cancer Association of Namibia, to be hosted every second Saturday in October.
The Pink Ribbon has been a powerful symbol for millions of people affected by the disease around the world and although more people are surviving due to early detection and quality specialised treatment, the reality is that every 10 minutes, someone new is diagnosed with breast cancer.
This life-threatening disease has abruptly become part of my life’s story and I am determined to continue to raise awareness of its devastating impact on our everyday lives, finances, but also on adapting to life after treatment.
I was officially told on my birthday in 2012 that I have breast cancer. This was one of the most shocking news I have ever received. Perhaps because I never really gave much thought to the fact that I can actually die. What made it worse was that have been carrying the extra weight in my breast for about 6 months, after a local Doctor assured me that the lump is harmless. Besides, I was totally immersed by the rush of life as a corporate professional, student, and mother of three minor kids – ignorant of the fact that being busy was about to kill me.
I innocently left the office for a quick free breast screen on 1 October 2012 as part of the multiple breast cancer awareness campaigns run by the Cancer Association in our country, little did I know that I will only return back to work, 10 months later.
My life changed foreve
I became part of the pink ribbon statistics!
The world is going on without me – what a shocker!
My treatment plan was radical and aggressive and I was prepared to deal with whatever had to happen. Chemo for six months, thereafter, a 14-hour surgery for the double-mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, followed by three months of radiotherapy and finally six years of preventative medication with lingering side-effects.
Although I felt relaxed, loved, and cared for during the process, I was forced to take a pause and reflect. Only after I started getting a view of the purpose in the pain, did the answers start to unfold. I could once again reclaim my rightful place on planet earth, knowing that whether I live or die, I live unto the Lord.
I am therefore determined to make my second chance to life count for something significant and excited to see where this new journey leads me.