By Tatenda Chambwe.
Harare, Zimbabwe. (News of The South) Clad in her white garments and beaming a broad smile, she conceals a very traumatic phase of her life which many others who experienced similar circumstances did not live to tell. Without any qualms she warmly opens up and narrates her story of tribulation and triumph.
Born Tsitsi Nyarambi 30 years ago to peasant parents who are members of the Johanne Masowe apostolic church in Nyazura, she was made to leave school at a tender age of 16 and got married off. The husband Petros Dorowa (55) is also a member of the same church and has four other wives just like his father in law, courtesy of the common practice in their church. Another predominant practice in this church is that their members are not allowed to seek medical care as they believe in getting solutions to all their problems from prayers.
Madzimai Tsitsi, as they are commonly addressed, began by locating that these beliefs are the reason why she ended up becoming a victim of a disease that really required medical attention.
“A few years ago after I had given birth to my fifth child, I began feeling an unusual lump in my right breast but since it was not painful I thought it was not anything to worry about,” she revealed.
She said she later started realising that the lump was not normal but prophets at their church would assure that with their powerful prayers and anointed water and oil, every evil would be shattered under the feet of the Almighty.
“But as the lump began getting troublesome, defying the prayers despite all my faith, I realised it started affecting my ability to do the various work I used to carry out in order to fend for my children,” she lamented.
As the efforts by their prophets to heal her proved futile, she began to waste away, with no hope of recovery. Then at that juncture something akin to a miracle happened.
“My cousin sister who worked in Mutare passed through here on her way to Harare where she was going to attend a seminar. You know what it’s like when your other relatives are not members of this church, you are not encouraged to visit or interact with them as they are viewed as evil people. But fortunately my family and husband were away that day and so we had time to discuss many issues,” she pointed out.
Little did she know that that visit was to transform her life and the rest is now history.
“My cousin got very concerned about my condition and promised to do everything against all odds through her friend in Harare who was a doctor. When I told my husband he couldn’t stomach that and said if I ever went there I was automatically divorced and disowned,” she said.
But she was determined and she went to Harare where she was examined by the doctor who then said she had advanced breast cancer. He explained that if only she had sought medical care early her chances of living longer were assured and referred her to hospital for treatment.
“I was then put on chemotherapy and my breast was later surgically removed”, she lamented, showing off the scar where the breast used to be.
” I will forever be grateful to my cousin for saving my life. She displayed unparalleled love for me as she forked out a lot of money for my bills. Drugs and processes one goes through for cancer treatment is quite expensive I’m sure she spent about 3,000 dollars”.
And she then mentioned something about the side effects of the drugs that include nausea, pricking pain and loss of hair. She removed her headkerchief to reveal how much hair she lost during the treatment.
“But now after the whole ordeal I have no regrets at all as I’m now much better and am able to care for my children. And even though my husband had vowed never to allow me back, I am also happy that in the end he was made to understand and here I am. I am now like a model or ambassador for cancer in our church and community,” she said with a broad smile.
“However it was not easy at first due to a lot of stigma I encountered but I soldiered on until many people now appreciate me. Government intervention in the white garment churches is also contributing to the enlightenment and its important that a lot of this information is disseminated to conscientise our people,” Madzimai Tsitsi pointed out.
Sadly there are still some religious and traditional healers who peddle unsubstantiated claims of curing cancer and other chronic diseases.
” People should not be fleeced of their hardearned cash by such claims. I believe the church can exorcise evil spirits yes, but when it comes to diseases like cancer its the domain of medical practitioners, let’s not be deceived,” she advised.
Dr Carol Dear who specialises in cancer treatment said that the disease has a number of stages a patient goes through until one succumbs.
*These stages start at zero and go up to stage iv. At stage zero it means the cancer has just started and it is still easily curable. Through the other stages the cancer cells spread more and more until at stage iv it would have spread far away from the breast and lymph nodes right around it. This stage is commonly referred to as ” metastatic” So generally the lower the stage you are at diagnosis the longer one can live,” he clarified.
He advised women to regularly go for check ups for early detection of breast cancer. He revealed that they can take advantage of the very cheap fee of a dollar charged at the Cancer Association Centre. He said it should also be remembered that breast cancer also affects men although generally its women who are affected the most.
The fight against breast cancer has also been strengthened by the First Lady’s recently formed Angel of Hope Foundation whose wide outreach countrywide is helping women in this regard.
The world over the month of October is used to focus on commemorating breast cancer. Now synonymous with the pink ribbon campaign, this year’s commemorations in Zimbabwe saw a lot of events lined up nationwide.
And following the footsteps of Madzimai Tsitsi, everyone of us should spread the gospel ,” Have regular medical checkups for breast cancer” That way, together, we will save many lives.
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