With October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, Prof Welma Lubbe from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Nursing shares her story on surviving breast cancer and why awareness campaigns are necessary.

At the age of 41, and with no family history of cancer, Prof Lubbe was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Fortunately, four years after her diagnosis, she is now cancer free and is living her life to the fullest.

According to Prof Lubbe, one in five people will get diagnosed with a cancer of some sort, and  one in three people will have been touched by cancer. “This is why awareness campaigns are so important. Breast cancer is treatable when detected early, and therefore it is paramount for women to go for their check-ups and get treatment as soon as they find out,” she says.

She urges women who are still going through treatment to give themselves time to heal. “It takes up to two years after treatment for women to get their life back, and women who are now cancer free must take on every opportunity presented to them.”

Watch her story: