“I escaped death three times”: The remarkable story of a cancer survivor graduate
By: Tshepiso Kaibe – 16 April 2024
24-year-old Relebohile Msiza, stands as a true testament to defying all odds as she graduates for her National Diploma in Internal Auditing at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) despite a gruesome battle against cancer. Hailing from the Vaal Triangle area, Msiza was nurtured within a Christian-oriented family, assuming the role of the eldest sibling, with her younger counterpart trailing by three years. She attributes this upbringing to her evolution into the woman of unwavering faith she stands as today.
Her journey set sail in High School when she took an interest in Accounting. “I have always been an ambitious, creative and enthusiastic individual who enjoyed the challenges and problem-solving Maths encompasses. So, when I got to Grade 8 and started doing Economic and Management Sciences (EMS), I grew to love the mathematical nature of Accounting – the right or wrong of it, balancing the books and having to sit down and piece together just how numbers add up,” she says. This paved her way to furthering her studies in Internal Auditing at VUT in 2019 where she delved deeper into the intricacies of finance, honing her skills for the professional realm ahead.
Things, however, took an unfortunate turn of events for Msiza just three months into her first year of university. What began as a swollen foot one morning, which she initially dismissed as harmless, evolved into prolonged pain without a definitive diagnosis from medical experts. Msiza recalls turning to self-medication to alleviate the discomfort until eventually being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Chondroblastic Osteosarcoma after numerous medical consultations. As a result, the first course of action recommended by her healthcare providers was chemotherapy. Initially, she found herself grappling with a profound sense of denial, a sentiment she maintained until the following year. However, as time progressed, she gradually came to terms with the reality of her condition and necessity of the treatment. It was not until June 2020 that she finally decided to embark on her chemotherapy journey. A pivotal moment marking the beginning of a difficult yet hopeful path towards recovery.
Msiza expressed the severity of side effects she underwent, “I became so sick to a point whereby I escaped death three times. I nearly died. I could not walk, bathe myself or do anything. I wore nappies. The Doctors did not think I would make it. One night I went straight into ICU and woke up surrounded by a whole lot of doctors. I took five blood transfusions. I saw people dying every day and I was consistently wondering if I would be next”. Despite the preceding challenges, chemotherapy proved ineffective upon completion of the treatment course, necessitating the amputation of her leg in March 2021.
This, however, was not enough to deter her progress. Her perseverance and dedication saw her through as she graduates in the 2024 Autumn Graduations.
Msiza attributes her success to the support of both her parents, sister and mentor Cindy Nhlapo, two friends Mantema and Monica Koro as well as the Student Christian Organization (SCO-VUT). She further added that the NSFAS disability unit together with Dr. Gauta Maseko, Head of Department (HOD) under the faculty of management sciences and several lecturers have all played an instrumental role in ensuring she completes her studies with ease.
She advises individuals facing similar challenges to embrace acceptance of their imperfections, foster confidence, and take pride in overcoming obstacles as differently abled individuals Encouraging strong belief in a bigger plan.
We wish to congratulate Msiza on her remarkable accomplishment and wish her success as she aims to further pursue an Advanced Diploma in Internal Auditing and possibly Honours to achieve the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) accreditation.