How dancing changed my life
Arthritis granny waltzes her way back to health
After struggling for 10 years with arthritis, a Tembisa granny has found healing through dancing.
After so much suffering, Cathrine Mathebe, 62, danced her way back to a healthy lifestyle, and has since recruited dozens of elderly women from her community in Hospital View to join her.
The grannies dance to the rhythm of Tsonga music four days a week. “We are having fun dancing and kicking off lifestyle diseases,” she said.
“I was overweight and my legs could no longer carry my body. My children would help me get into the bath and car. At times my legs would be so painful that I had to crawl to move around,” Mathebe said.
She said she decided to change her lifestyle in August last year.
“I woke up one morning, took a broom and started [dancing] in my bedroom. I started feeling a difference after a week and I took my dancing to the garage where I played the music even louder, and came up with more dance moves.
“Three months later, I had lost weight and I could move around with ease. People joined me because they saw how dancing changed my life.”
Mathebe said she went from 150kg to 70kg, and her aim was to maintain a healthy ifestyle.
“It is about fitness. I no longer take blood pressure and arthritis pills. People who suffer from diseases should not give up hope. An active lifestyle plus medication equals better life. We dance our way to a better life.”
On Saturday, Mathebe threw a party at her home to celebrate an active lifestyle.
Mathebe’s neighbour Lorraine Motaung, 54, confirmed that dancing changed her neighbour’s life.
“I used to cook for her when she was unable to walk. We thought she was playing when she first started [dancing]. There is magic in her dancing. Her life has changed.”
Nora Shiburi, 65, said she started dancing two months ago. “I suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure. I struggled to sleep, but now I sleep like a baby.
“Two months ago my blood pressure [reached] 166... it has since dropped to 110. We take our medication and supplement them with exercise,” Shiburi said.
Marriam Selepe, 65, said her doctor had encouraged her to continue dancing.
“I have been dancing for two months. I suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol.
”I went for check- up a month after I started dancing, [and] my doctor asked me what I was doing because everything
‘‘ I used to cook for her when she was unable to walk
was on the right track. I told him that I dance to Tsonga music and he said I should continue dancing.”
Mathebe gives dancing lessons at her house for free. produce such as fruits and vegetables can be contaminated from these sources.”
Those who could easily contract the disease are newborns‚ the elderly‚ pregnant women‚ persons with weak immunity‚ such as those with HIV‚ diabetes‚ cancer‚ and chronic liver or kidney disease.