Miraculous moments after cancer surgery in throat
A COMMUNICATIONS specialist and social entrepreneur, who recently had her larynx removed after the discovery of a rare form of cancer, wants to highlight the importance of resilience and community during a time of unprecedented challenges in the world.
Vanessa Perumal, 54, founder of JT Communication Solutions, spent 22 days in intensive care after a laryngectomy, the surgical removal of the larynx, the portion of your throat that houses your vocal cords, which allow you to produce sound.
Doctors had discovered a cancerous tumour on her larynx.
Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon from the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre, Dr Khaleel Ismail, who performed the surgery, said the location of the cancer, known as chondrosarcoma, in the larynx was rare.
Ismail said the procedure was not unique, but the type of cancer and where it arose was extremely rare.
“There was a tumour arising from the cartilage of the voice box. We did a complete removal of the tumour. I am happy with the outcome thus far.
“Discovering the chondrosarcoma and having to perform an emergency total laryngectomy in less than a week has given us the opportunity to learn and discover ways to innovate and find solutions together with a team of professionals,” said Ismail.
“To save my life, I traded my voice box,” said Perumal.
The mother of two from Johannesburg, said she fell ill last year and her vocal cords sounded croaky.
“No matter how many doctors I went to, and how much medication, it just did not heal.
“I started going from one medical test to another. We thought it was asthma, bronchitis, Swine flu, pneumonia etc. Eventually, in October, I went onto Facebook and asked if anyone could refer a good ENT.”
She said she was scheduled to start injecting Botox for her vocal cords on April 6, but had to reschedule due to the lockdown.
“While I was preparing to go into theatre on May 8 for my Botox the new CT scans came in showing the growth.
“The cancer was diagnosed a day later and I had four days to mentally prepare and tell my family and friends that I would be going for a total laryngectomy.
“While I panicked about having my vocal cords removed, Dr Ismail was concerned about getting the cancer out of my body. For my sanity, together with my family, we put a plan in place.
“It included starting a blog called Miraculous Moments.
“What we did not expect when we put the plan together was the outpouring of love and prayers from across the world. One of the things my family and I are religious about is our travels. So we have huge networks across the globe and far places.
“All our networks, the ones we knew and even those we did not know, were praying for me and my family. At home, our community and friends continue to support us. I am out of the hospital for 12 days and we still have meals, flowers and gifts dropped off,” she said.
Perumal has been sharing her experience through her Miraculous Moments diary on Facebook, where she has showcased the excellence of her medical team for treating a rare cancer. She also highlighted the work of the healthcare workers.
“Covid-19 is shining a spotlight on the unrecognised champions of our society, the nurses, medical teams and cleaning staff who are among the most marginalised working sector in any society,” she said.
Perumal said there were solutions for people who have their voice boxes removed, such as an app called Speak, which allows her to type messages and it plays back on audio.
“I am writing as much as possible, and I also mime and sound out words. I am on a journey to find my new speaking voice and embrace my second chance to create a new life with medical innovation.
“There is so much opportunity in the medical innovation space to create African content and voices in this new space for me,” she said.