Bernadette’s run against cancer
ON HER 70th birthday, Bernadette Ardé was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
Three years later, after undergoing chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, Ardé is happy to say she is cancer-free.
She is one of the participants in the Champions for Cansa 5km run hosted by the Cancer Association of SA in Durban which takes place tomorrow at Sunkist Lawns. In honour of Women’s Month, the run aims to create awareness on women’s cancers while raising funds for the organisation.
Ardé, who live in Morningside, Durban, said her husband, Max, was also diagnosed with cancer, weeks apart from her receiving the news: “My husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015 so we went through this together.
“We went to an oncologist and for six weeks we had radiation every day from Monday to Friday and chemotherapy.
“He never had chemo at the time, he had hormone treatment after his radiation.”
For Ardé, the chemotherapy was a positive experience: “I felt that I was completely unaffected by my cancer. My hair never fell out or anything like that. If you looked at me, you would never say I was undergoing treatment for cancer. I never lost weight and looked healthy. And being in oncology was absolutely humbling. You get to see how many people have cancer – it doesn’t matter if you’re young or old.”
Fitness has always been a big part of the Ardés lifestyle. Before she began treatment, the 73-year-old said she would visit the gym in Morningside every day for a session. Her diet also changed after she underwent surgery in which 12cm of her colon was removed
“The surgery took four and a half hours. Afterwards, I couldn’t go to gym anymore as I was recovering. So that was tough to stop exercising. But my husband and I would walk three times a week just to do some sort of exercise.”
Ardé said her faith helped her through this journey, “So many people prayed for us and it was God who turned things around, it was a miracle.
“People going through things like this need to be positive. Listen to your body and don’t ignore any signs.”
The Champions for Cansa 5km run takes place tomorrow at Sunkist Lawns (near Bike and Bean).
Tickets can be bought at Cansa offices, Curves Musgrave and Curves Bluff, as well as online via Quicket. Tickets can also be bought on the morning of the event. Registration will be from 7am.