As the Patron of the Thokozani Khupe Cancer Foundation, she
has now dedicated herself to raising awareness about cancer, especially in
Zimbabwe.
Khupe’s ordeal began in 2023 when she started experiencing
severe symptoms, including a protruding stomach, loss of appetite, and
excruciating pain.
“Come 2023, the cancer came like a thief. I told my young
sister that this was not normal. I thought perhaps it was Kwashiorkor as I was
thinking of so many things. I had gone out for (election) campaigns and I
thought I had an infection,” she said in an interview hosted by the CITE View.
Her initial diagnosis in Zimbabwe pointed to cervical
cancer, believed to be a consequence of the breast cancer she had battled in
2011.
“I went to the doctor and was given tablets. After one week
there was no change. I went back to my initial doctor and I booked an
appointment with a specialist and went for a CT scan at a (local private
hospital). I was told I had cervical cancer as a result of the breast cancer I
had in 2011,” she said.
Seeking further clarity, she travelled to South Africa,
where doctors ran several tests and diagnosed her with ovarian cancer that had
spread to her stomach and other organs. Despite undergoing treatment, her
condition only worsened.
“I have never been sick like that. I was vomiting, I had
severe diarrhoea, you ain’t seen anything like,” Khupe recalled.
As her health deteriorated, Khupe was advised to return to
Zimbabwe and undergo palliative care – essentially being told there was nothing
more that could be done.
“The doctor in South Africa told me they had tried their
level best so this is where we will stop and referred me to a doctor in
Zimbabwe for palliative care, be admitted into a hospital and taken care of
because there is nothing more than can be done,” she narrated.
“When I came back to Zimbabwe I was like ‘Oh my God.’ Then
the idea of India came up thanks to the president and government for assisting
me.”
With support from the Zimbabwean government, she travelled
to India, but after undergoing 15 cycles of treatment, there was no
improvement.
Her condition became critical, and her stomach filled up
with six litres of fluid weekly.
“My stomach looked like an equivalent nine-month pregnant
old woman. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t turn and eat in India. I was now
weighing 68 kg. If anything, l was deteriorating every day. I think if I had
stayed more in India I was going to come back to Zimbabwe in a coffin.”
In November 2023, after her children from the United
Kingdom (UK) visited her for her 60th birthday in India, Khupe was advised to
go to the UK for further consultations.
It was there that a breakthrough came. The UK doctors,
using state-of-the-art combined CT and PET scans, provided a correct diagnosis:
lobular breast cancer, not ovarian cancer.
The advanced equipment in the UK allowed for a more precise
diagnosis, something Khupe emphasised as lacking in Zimbabwe.
“In Zimbabwe, we have CT scans, but they sometimes give you
the wrong diagnosis, which is what happened to me,” she explained.
“In the UK, with the combined scans, you get an accurate
diagnosis.”
After starting a new course of treatment in the UK, Khupe
saw rapid improvement. Her stomach returned to normal after just four cycles,
and the water buildup stopped.
Her energy returned, and she began eating again. Although
the road was still challenging, Khupe remained hopeful.
She completed 18 cycles of chemotherapy, and follow-up
scans revealed that her tumours had shrunk by nearly 80 percent, with less
cancer activity.
“Remember the MP swearing-in ceremony. I was a walking
grave but look at me now, I am feeling good, I am feeling ok,” she said, with a
renewed sense of hope.
“Fortunately, we must thank God for healing me and giving
me a second chance at life. I’m feeling strong now, and apart from the side
effects of treatment, cracking hands and feet which feel like I am walking on
needles, I feel like myself again.”
Despite her experience, Khupe emphasised that early
detection can lead to successful treatment even in Zimbabwe, where healthcare
infrastructure may not be as advanced as in other countries.
“Yes, I was assisted by the government to treat me, and now
I am trying to give back by becoming an advocate for cancer awareness,” she
explained.
In 2011, after her initial diagnosis of breast cancer,
Khupe founded the Thokozani Khupe Cancer Foundation.
The foundation aims to raise awareness about cancer,
emphasising that early detection is key to survival.
She claimed “many” people in Zimbabwe are dying of cancer,
not because the disease is untreatable, but because they lack knowledge about
it and fail to seek help in time.
“Once cancer is detected early, it is easier and cheaper to
treat,” Khupe stated.
“But if it’s detected at an advanced stage, it becomes very
difficult, complicated, and expensive to treat, like the one I have right now.”
Khupe encourages women to conduct self-examinations, check
for lumps, and seek medical attention if they notice any abnormalities, such as
nipple discharge.
Her foundation has been working with local communities,
including flea markets and salons, to spread awareness about the disease. CITE
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