Maphosa triumphs over bone marrow cancer
‘ We all can survive cancer if we remain positive and focused’
Being diagnosed with a life threatening disease has never been easy for any mere mortal. What more, when people start to poke you with questions such as, “did doctors tell you how many days you are left with?”
The questions asked, the sympathy, the trauma that you go through can at times break you even if you are a medical practitioner. It is better when you believe and trust in God as you live each day with hope knowing that your redeemer and healer is in charge.
This is the daily experience of a Motswana Pharmacist based in Ethiopia, Mmatalenta Maphosa who has been diagnosed with Bone Marrow Cancer, a disease that slowly and gradually drains her coffers as she needs P350 000 to get treatment in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Her treatment is set for 24 successive weeks. She is currently left with 14 more before going into the next step once the first stage is successful.
She is happy with the support from her colleagues at Infinite Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, a 100 percent citizen- owned start- up pharmaceutical manufacturing company. Its Chairperson, Stanley Mmapiki told Botswana Guardian that out of compassion towards a colleague Pharmacist and a fellow citizen in dire need of help, the owners of Infinite decided to assist by embarking on fundraising activities towards her treatment, care and support. Infinite Pharmaceuticals set itself a target of raising P200 000 of the P350 000 that is needed through public solicitation of donations, starting immediately with a sponsored walk held last Saturday, then a sponsored cycling event scheduled for Sunday 11 December 2022 in Gaborone. Maphosa is easy going, she laughs every now and then and often throws in a joke during a conversation. She is the kind that comforts you when it’s supposed to be the opposite. “I have five children between the ages of five and 25 years old. I have been asked if I am the only one who wants to field the command of multiplying because in Botswana people have one or two children. I delivered my youngest at 47 years of age. It was a miracle,” she said. Maphosa explains that the cancer attacks the blood, and has been explained by specialist as multiple myeloma. “My heart was pumping too fast because I had anaemia, the red cells were not enough. I was not aware that my platelets which control bleeding when you get injured were low, but was bruising easily.
“I had headaches because if you do not have enough oxygen you get headaches and body pains. The presenting symptoms for me was extreme fatigue,” she said.
In 2019 after she had her last baby, she wanted to become a fitness coach because she desires to be fit in her 90s. “I even had videos about calcium and bone strength in the old age. But, this illness was a wake- up call to remind me that life comes from God.” When she was diagnosed, Maphosa said she had a rollercoaster of experiences. She had very high calcium, but they arrested it before it could affect her kidneys. There is also anaemia which had to be attended to immediately.
“I work in a high altitude area in Ethiopia I needed to have HB of 10 at least to travel for treatment, so I was evacuated because I had this situation. So I was transfused blood that pushed the figure to the maximum of 10 and they took me to South Africa for treatment,” she says.
Maphosa is currently on treatment for at least six months taking medicines monthly and other oral medications, which accompany the chemotherapy. “Oncologists and cancer researchers have tried to present what was known about cancer and now some people are puzzled when they see me being active, they ask if it is true or false.”
Maphosa is happy that her body is responding positively to the treatment.