By Claudine Senekal
In South Africa, someone is diagnosed with blood cancer every 72 minutes, with only 0.04 citizens registered as donors. So when Ladysmith-born Bianca Pretorius was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in August 2021, the race to save her life began.
Now a resident of Bergville, the 25-year-old Ladysmith High School alumna is searching for a suitable blood stem cell donor as stem cell transplants are currently the only way to treat blood cancer. “By coming forward and getting tested, you are giving me a fighting chance to overcome my Leukaemia,” said Bianca.
She first noticed a lump in her neck in 2019. “It was not painful or anything, and did not change in size. In 2020, a few weeks before lockdown, I got sick and a second lump came up,” said Bianca.
For someone who is rarely ill, getting sick and finding more lumps soon became worrisome. “I kept going to doctors but they couldn’t find anything. Eventually, after seeing a second specialist, I was referred to a government hospital where the doctor immediately suspected Lupus. They did a blood test and my results were Acute Leukaemia.”
By the time that she was finally diagnosed, Bianca was experiencing loss of appetite, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath and could only manage a few steps before becoming so lightheaded that she could barely see or breathe properly. “I had extreme unexplained bruises appearing as well, especially on my legs.”
However, Bianca recalled that she was extremely calm when she first got her test results. “I had called my partner, then phoned my mom and told her things might be worse than we expected, but I remained calm. But when the doctor finalised the tests and confirmed everything for a second time, it was then that it finally hit me and I was silent with shock,” said Bianca, who left the hospital with her partner before bursting into tears. “Even though it was such a shock and so much uncertainty lay ahead, I was also just relieved to finally get a diagnosis so that I could start the treatment.”
Bianca was admitted to hospital immediately but felt as if her whole life was being ripped away from her. She told The Ladysmith Herald that it was sometimes difficult to stay motivated, especially when she was unable to see her loved ones due to Covid-19 regulations. “This was the hardest time – being sick and not knowing when I will see my family and loved ones again. It made the days darker and longer.”
However, with the help of fellow cancer fighters and nurses, finding the motivation to keep fighting eventually became easier, and Bianca said that also knowing God was with her and holding her hand – being a solid rock in her fight – was a comfort to her and her family.
Following her stay at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital from August 2021 to the end of December 2021, Bianca thereafter became an outpatient and received weekly treatments at the clinic. She said that the first few months of treatment were quite exhausting and tough on the body, with painful mouth sores due to the chemo-infiltration treatment coupled with the expected hair-loss.
“Honestly, it’s changed everything about my life, one day you are living and working to reach your goals and dreams, and then boom! It just gets ripped away from you and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. You literally end up with two choices – get treatment and stand a chance to live or go home and spend maybe a few weeks, at best, with your loved ones.”
To assist the German Bone Marrow Donor Centre, DKMS, in finding a suitable blood stem cell donor for Bianca, citizens recently gathered at the NG ‘Gemeenskaplike’ Church in Bergville to get tested. It is the vision of DKMS to help South Africans fight blood cancer and Bianca said that she is incredibly grateful for the amazing turn-out as well as the love, support and words of encouragement that she received.
Bianca said that it is extremely important for people to donate blood stem cells. “You might not be a match to me, but to someone else. And you can give them a fighting chance, allowing them to get back to life.”
Despite all these challenges, Bianca still continues working on getting her own business up and running. “I love being outdoors and just enjoy nature and reading books. And since being an outpatient, I have really started to enjoy crocheting.” Bianca said that the road ahead will be difficult and all she wants to do is get back to life and make the most of it while reaching for her dreams and goals. “Please, if you are able to get tested and can donate, help me. Help us to live.”
DKMS urges all South Africans to register as blood stem cell donors. Registering is a simple three-step process, explained Mr Gerdener, DKMS spokesperson. “If you are between the ages of 18 and 55 years old, visit the DKMS Africa website and answer a brief questionnaire to determine if you can safely donate. If you are eligible, a courier will deliver a swab kit to your home at no cost to you.”
When you receive the kit, swab the inside of your mouth and cheeks, and a courier will collect the kit from you within five days. The swabs will be analysed to determine your HLA characteristics. “Once we have analysed your samples, you will be added to the registry, and you will be available for patients searching for a donor. In doing so, you could give someone living with blood cancer a second chance at life.”
“Finding a donor would mean the world to someone like me. It takes just a few hours to donate and in those few hours, you have given a person back their whole life,” said Bianca. Feeling inspired? Register here: https://www.dkms-africa.org/register-now
