BEATING CANCER
Motshegwe celebrates seven cancerfree years
Today, 27th April, marks exactly seven years since Charlene Motshegwe (25) won her battle against Giant Cell Bone Cancer. In an interview with The Midweek Sun, Motshegwe said she discovered that she had cancer after a table fell on her leg at school when she was just a Form 2 student. Her leg began swelling up and she had difficulty walking, but doctors could not find what the problem was, except that she had a swollen muscle. According to Motshegwe, things got worse and the swelling increased until she was transferred to another hospital where she was told she had a Giant Cell Bone Cancer. “I had an operation done and began treatment at age 17, but three months later the cancer came back and was very aggressive,” she said, further stating that her medical aid got exhausted. “We found out about a program at Princess Marina hospital that takes patients outside the country for further medical treatment and I was enrolled in the program.
I went to South Africa where I did the operation. My bones were removed in my leg and replaced with metals and I was put on oral chemotherapy treatment,“said Motshegwe. She noted that she first found out that she had cancer in 2013 at the age of 16 and she was in shock and did not believe it because she had thought that cancer was an illness for older people.
Motshegwe believes that her healing process was successful because she maintained a positive attitude throughout. She advises people living with cancer that the disease does not have to have control over them - that if one tells themselves that they will face the cancer head on without fear in their heart, they will win. She also recommends that patients should be loyal to their medical checkups, and keep eating healthy and exercise. “The government should not only raise awareness about breast cancer when there are so many other cancers.
When people learn more about signs and symptoms of other cancers they can detect it early,” she said. Motshegwe noted that she did not think that there would be a time when she would be cancer free considering what she has gone through.
She wants the day to be special not only to her but to other cancer survivors in Botswana. She has organised a picnic where cancer survivors can come and spend the day with each other. There will be games, motivational talks and educational activities.