Pacific Mbela raises funds for the Zoe Project

AFTER surviving a brain tumor that paralysed the left side of his body, Pacific Mbela, of Diep River, has devoted his recovery journey to running for charitable causes.

- JANICE MATTHEWS

This April, he plans to raise R50 000 running the Two Oceans Marathon in support of the Zoe Project, a non-profit organisation that provides maternal healthcare in vulnerable communities.

“I don’t take life lightly. I run the walking miracle,” says Mbela. “We think it’s something that we deserve but I know the meaning of life.”

In 2017, Mbela was diagnosed with meningioma, a brain tumour that grows from the protective layers around the brain and spinal cord, that required surgery for removal. He suffered from severe headaches and multiple strokes as the tumour grew, blocking the blood flow. Reliant on public healthcare, he waited for the operation, which was eventually scheduled for July 2017. He was discharged five days after surgery, however, the left side of his body was still paralysed. Doctors warned he may not walk again. A month after being discharged from hospital, Mbela went back to work.