Durban — Breast cancer survivor Denise Williams, 67, said that back in 2016, she thought life could not get much better.
She had celebrated her 60th birthday with the news of her daughter’s miracle pregnancy.
A month later, Williams embarked on an adventurous motor biking holiday (Isle of Man T T Route), followed by an idyllic getaway to Zanzibar.
But within days of welcoming her granddaughter Gia Neil into the world in August 2016, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Luckily, we caught it early,” Williams said.
Williams lives in uMhlanga, runs her own business and said she has no intention of retiring.
Six-year-old Gia, who turns seven in August, gives Williams so much joy and has been a massive driving force in her recovery and her life.
“I decided from day one that I was going to see Gia turn 21, and that this cancer was not going to beat me. She’s a big part of the reason why I’m here today, and having her in my life helped me through some really tough times. She’s not even seven yet, but she’s been such an inspiration and source of motivation for me. Children have such a simple and direct approach to life that we could all learn from,” Williams said.
“After six-and-a-half years, I’m blessed to say that I’m in remission, and have a new lease on life. I’m healthy and well. I love my job. I started an exercise regimen just before my diagnosis and did my 100th park run last year. I watch my diet carefully: I started juicing during my treatment, and it’s become part of my life,” she said.
Williams said she always had a passion for travelling. Covid-19 put that on hold for a while, but last year she travelled to America to meet her then 18-month-old grandchild, Ethan Williams, who was born during the height of the pandemic. Williams has since been blessed with a third grandchild, Luke Williams, so she has every reason to appreciate every day of her life.
“I do motivational talks, and freely offer my support to anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
“It sounds strange to say it, but if I had to choose, I would walk this path again. Having breast cancer made me appreciate the simple things in life again, and see the things I took for granted with new eyes. I’m so grateful just for waking up every day. When you have to deal with a massive event like this in your life, it makes you look deep within, and you learn so much about yourself,” she said.
Williams said it was important to be financially ready because one of the first things you think of after being diagnosed with such an illness is how you will manage financially. Having financial peace of mind makes a big difference in how you deal with a stressful time.
“I thank my lucky stars every day for having income protection, which carried me financially through the darkest time in my life. I took out a policy with Bidvest Life (then FMI) at the age of 59, and was diagnosed at 60 – and their support was incredible and invaluable,” Williams said.
Williams's advice for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer is to do everything they can to keep positive.
“Positivity was probably the biggest factor in my recovery,” Williams said.
Drawing on her own experience she said: "During my treatment, I saw first-hand how a positive mindset played a critical role in the recovery of many of my fellow patients. This is not something you can just walk away from: you have to tackle it head-on. Consult with a nutritionist to check the foods you are eating, as I had hormonal cancer and now have to eat grass-fed animal meat and chicken and not grain fed (as these are hormonally dangerous for me), because these animals are fed hormones to increase their size.
“I never asked ‘why me?’ I mean, why not me? What makes me so different? More than 100 000 South Africans get a cancer diagnosis each year. One in eight women is diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. It’s all about how you respond to that. The quicker you deal with the diagnosis or signs that “something” is not right – the better. Early detection is key,” Williams said.
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