I messed myself, Khupe says in bare-all over cancer fight

By Staff Reporter

Thokozani Khupe has opened up on her recent torment as she battles recurrent cancer which has seen her seek treatment in South Africa, India and lately the United Kingdom.

In a moving testimony about her battles with the killer disease, the former deputy prime minister told parliament of Thursday that when her ailment was at its peak, she slept with a bucket on the side of the bed for vomit while she also experienced diarrhoea which made her mess herself sometimes.

She was moving a motion to urge parliament to push for more government investment in both treatment and awareness programmes on the disease.

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Khupe (59) was first diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2011 when she was deputy prime minister. This saw her seek treatment in South Africa with one of her breasts later removed.

The opposition politician’s condition deteriorated last year, prompting a government decision to fund her treatment in India.

She revealed to fellow MPs Thursday she was now battling another form of breast cancer called Lobular cancer, after being initially wrongly diagnosed and treated for ovarian cancer.

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“You all saw me when I came for the swearing-in-ceremony, I was a moving grave, but look at the transformation – this is God’s work.  I would like to thank Him so very much for giving me a second chance to life, for being my Saviour, my doctor and my protector,” Khupe said.

She thanked President Mnangagwa for directing treasury to fund her treatment in India, a phase she says did not yield any positives until she turned to the United Kingdom where she has found change.

Khupe added, “Let me thank my doctor in the United Kingdom, Dr. Jonathan Krell in a special way for being on point with my diagnosis and treatment. 

“The treatment which he prescribed for me did wonders to the extent that all the water in my stomach, the 6 litres I was draining every week dried up and that was a great relief for me because carrying an equivalent to 6kgs all the time was very uncomfortable and made me weak and more sick.”

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Khupe said government should channel more resources towards research and development to help the country discover advanced cancer treatment.

“It must not be a big deal for one to have stage 4 cancer because with modernisation, it can be treated and I am a living testimony – I had stage 4 cancer and here I am today standing in front of you and in good health,” she said.

Khupe said it government should source for state-of-the-art machines for Mpilo and Parirenyatwa hospitals in Bulawayo and Harare to allow doctors to apply the right diagnosis from the onset.

“…Once you have the right diagnosis, it follows that you will get the right treatment. I am a good example,” she said.

“When I was first diagnosed in Zimbabwe, they said I had ovarian cancer which had long gone.  I proceeded to South Africa. Again, they said I had ovarian cancer stage 4. 

“I started chemotherapy in the form of injections and tablets every two weeks. I have never been sick like that in my entire life.

“I was vomiting to the extent that I had a bucket on the side of my bed all the time. I had a terrible diarrhoea to the present that would sometimes mess myself. 

“I was draining 6 litres of water every two weeks because it was feeling up quickly; this water was a sign that my tumours were not responding to treatment hence they continued to generate this water. 

“I was like a nine-month pregnant woman; I had difficulty in breathing and walking. It took me time to turn when I was sleeping because I had to move an equivalent of 6kgs which I was carrying. 

“My doctor in South Africa then referred me back to Zimbabwe so that I could be under Palliative Care, which is treatment and support you receive when one has a life-limiting illness, because there was no improvement.”

Khupe says she renewed her hope to survive the ailment when she got a chance to travel to India, a country renowned for its successes in treating cancer.

“I did all the possible tests and the diagnosis was once more stage 4 ovarian cancer which emanated from the breast cancer I had 12 years ago.

“I started chemotherapy, I was supposed to do 18 cycles for 18 weeks. I was draining 6 litres of water every week. 

“After 15 cycles, my doctor in India said I was not responding to treatment, because if I was responding, the water was going to dry up but in my case there was no change.

“He then suggested that I rather go to the United Kingdom (UK) because the UK was advanced when it comes to cancer treatment. 

“They had modern medications and a lot of options and they also did clinical trials. In India, I was losing weight everyday because I had difficulty eating to the extent that I was then weighing 68kgs. I was a moving skeleton. All this is pointing to wrong diagnosis resulting in wrong treatment.

“I then proceeded to the UK and did all the necessary tests, CT/Pet scans, bloods and biopsies.  The diagnosis was that I had Lobular breast cancer. 

“The doctor then said I was going to do 18 cycles of chemotherapy every week. I only drained water on 22nd December, 2023 and started treatment on 9th January, 2024.  I never drained any water again. 

“It gradually drained away cycle after cycle. After the fourth cycle, the water disappeared, a sign that the medication was working perfectly well.  I never had any side effects. 

“All this was a good example of the right diagnosis which subsequently resulted to the right treatment. 

“This is a clear indication that with modern technology, you are likely to get the right diagnosis and with the right diagnosis you are likely to get the right medication, hence my emphasis on state-of-the-art equipment,” said Khupe.

The Thokozani Khupe Cancer Foundation founder urged government to introduce a cancer levy that would subsidise treatment.

“I am a living example because my cancer was at stage four. I had to do 18 cycles, one every week and each cycle was ranging from 2,000 pounds to 2,500 pounds every week.

“I was sometimes doing blood transfusion because my hemoglobin was low all the time because of chemotherapy.  I would pay between £1,700 and £2,000.  At times, I would do CT/Pet scans to establish the extent of the cancer. 

“Whether cancer cells were being destroyed by the medication which cost £3,900, there were other costs for bloods, doctors’ fees and several others. How many people can afford this?  The answer is very few,” she said.

“In 2023, I had a second cancer attack which came like a thief without giving any notice.  By the time I realised it, it had spread.  With all this, I was never afraid because I knew that with God’s grace and good medical attention, all was well.

“I vowed that I was never going to allow cancer to take me down. I developed this fighting spirit and I am going to fight cancer to the end until it leaves my body. I know and believe that one day, my body will be free from cancer. This is the attitude that all those with cancer must have.  I have so far gone through my first phase of treatment. I am now on my second phase of treatment but look at me, I am doing perfectly well.

“The only thing with cancer treatment is that there are good days and bad days. During the bad days, side effects kick in and they are at times very unpleasant. This week is my bad week, but l am managing,” said Khupe.