From Cancer To Cold Water

Diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, Diane Murray found healing, solace, friendship and resilience in the icy waters off the Cape coast.

- Diane Murray

There was no history of breast cancer in my family. EveryOctober I would buy the bandana at Pick n Pay and think,‘Thank goodness that will never be me.’All that changed in September 2018, when I discovered a large lump under my arm. I had a mammogram, which was clear, followed by an ultrasound, which showed a tumour had engulfed a lymph gland. Two days later I had an excision biopsy. I was convinced all would be well: my tumour-marker blood tests were negative; my CT scan was fine. But the following week I was told I had a malignant secondary tumour. The final diagnosis was triple-negative breast cancer.

In October I had a double mastectomy and 11 lymph nodes removed. Because the cancer is an aggressive one, I was in for six months of chemotherapy – Red Devil followed by Taxol – and five weeks of radiation. I suggested to Dr Aaron Ndhluni, the breast surgeon, that the treatment was overkill. He said, ‘Come back in two years’ time when you’re healthy and tell me this, and I’ll be so happy.’

I started treatment in November. After each chemo session I left armed with a cooler box of syringes, with instructions to start injecting 48 hours later. I wasn’t brave enough to do it myself, so the nursing sisters at work did it for me (I work for a private school in Cape Town). Chemo was usually on a Friday.