'There is always hope'

To be diagnosed with cancer once is devastating, but to face the diagnosis three times would break even the strongest spirit.

- Maretha Swanepoel

For 42-year-old Cynthia Erasmus, originally from Polokwane and a mother to an 18-year-old son, this has been her reality.

Cynthia was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. The diagnosis led to a double mastectomy, 13 sessions of chemotherapy, and a month of radiation therapy. "When I first got the news, I was devastated. This happens to other people, not to me. I just couldn't believe it - I thought my life had come to an end."

After her diagnosis in Polokwane, Cynthia sought a second opinion and received treatment at a specialised breast care centre in Johannesburg. Her treatment spanned two years and concluded in late 2017. "When I was told I had beaten the cancer, I was ecstatic. I felt free. There were no more signs of the disease."