Breast cancer victim buried

A BREAST cancer patient who died awaiting an operation was buried at West Park Cemetery yesterday and her family told of her health struggles and how she begged on the streets to provide for her family.

Phanankosi Dube (36) and her family last week made a passionate plea through The Chronicle seeking $10 000 for an operation.

She died on Saturday at home in Makokoba suburb when five donors had made a commitment to pay for her operation as her breasts had ballooned to unmanageable proportions causing her excruciating pain.

Her cousin Mr Rodney Dube said members of the public chipped in to get a coffin, especially made for her as her swollen body could not fit into available coffins. Eighteen pall bearers escorted her to her final resting place.

“I have never heard of any funeral parlours asking for manpower to help to carry a body but they did it with Phana as she had to be carried by 18 pall bearers. The biggest coffin in town could not fit her and early today we had to purchase extra planks to open it and accommodate her breasts as they made it impossible for the coffin to close,” said Mr Dube.

He said body viewing was not done as her body was squashed in the coffin.

“At one time we thought it was going to break but we are happy she was finally buried. We were humbled by the support we got from members of the public especially Mrs Eunice Dlamini for making the burial happen,” added Mr Dube.

Phana’s widowed mother Ms Maureen Dube said she had lost the family’s breadwinner who fended for the family through begging on the streets of Bulawayo.

“My heart is sore and I don’t even know where I will start from now. My child was our breadwinner and through hard work, her presence at least guaranteed us a plate of food every night for me and my granddaughter,” said Ms Dube.

“She was a single parent and now that she is gone I do not know how I will fend for her daughter in Form Two and her younger siblings.” — @thamamoe