It’s worse than HIV: How money bought back Khupe’s life after doctors gave up on her

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Former Deputy Prime Minister and current Member of Parliament for Bulawayo, Dr Thokozani Khupe, has shared a harrowing account of her battle with cancer, a journey marked by misdiagnosis, gruelling treatment, and ultimately, a remarkable recovery thanks to advanced medical technology and significant financial resources.

Her story serves as a stark warning about the challenges of cancer diagnosis in Zimbabwe and a powerful testament to the life-saving potential of early detection and access to cutting-edge healthcare.

Khupe’s ordeal began in 2023 with the onset of severe symptoms: a protruding stomach, loss of appetite, and intense pain. Initially, she suspected a simple infection, attributing her discomfort to the rigours of election campaigning. However, her condition worsened, leading her to seek medical attention. Her initial diagnosis in Zimbabwe was cervical cancer, a misdiagnosis that proved to be a devastating setback in her fight for survival.

“Come 2023, the cancer came like a thief,” Khupe recounted in an interview with CITE View.

“I went to the doctor and was given tablets. After one week there was no change. I went back to my initial doctor and I booked an appointment with a specialist and went for a CT scan at a (local private hospital). I was told I had cervical cancer as a result of the breast cancer I had in 2011.”

Seeking a second opinion, Khupe travelled to South Africa, where she received a diagnosis of stage 4 ovarian cancer that had metastasized to her stomach and other organs. The ensuing treatment proved ineffective, and her condition rapidly deteriorated. “I have never been sick like that,” she recalled.

“I was vomiting, I had severe diarrhoea… I was draining 6 litres of water every two weeks because it was filling up quickly – this water was a sign that my tumours were not responding to treatment hence they continued to generate this water. I was like a nine-month-pregnant woman, I had difficulty breathing and walking.”

Facing a grim prognosis, Khupe was advised to return to Zimbabwe for palliative care. Essentially, doctors had given up hope. However, with the assistance of the Zimbabwean government, she travelled to India for further treatment. Despite undergoing 15 cycles of chemotherapy, her condition continued to worsen.

“My stomach looked like an equivalent nine-month pregnant old woman. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t turn and eat in India. I was now weighing 68 kg. If anything, I was deteriorating every day. I think if I had stayed more in India I was going to come back to Zimbabwe in a coffin,” she described.

A turning point came in November 2023 when, after a visit from her children from the UK for her 60th birthday, she sought further medical advice in the United Kingdom. There, utilising advanced combined CT and PET scans, doctors reached a critical breakthrough: Khupe was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer, not ovarian cancer. This accurate diagnosis, made possible by state-of-the-art technology, was a stark contrast to her initial misdiagnoses in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

“In Zimbabwe, we have CT scans, but they sometimes give you the wrong diagnosis, which is what happened to me,” Khupe explained. “In the UK, with the combined scans, you get an accurate diagnosis.”

The correct diagnosis led to a targeted treatment plan, resulting in a dramatic improvement in Khupe’s health. After just four cycles of chemotherapy, the fluid buildup in her abdomen ceased, and her energy levels returned. She completed 18 cycles of treatment, and follow-up scans revealed that her tumours had shrunk by almost 80 percent.

“Remember the MP swearing-in ceremony. I was a walking grave but look at me now, I am feeling good, I am feeling ok. Fortunately, we must thank God for healing me and giving me a second chance at life. I’m feeling strong now, and apart from the side effects of treatment… I feel like myself again,” she said while reflecting on her recovery.

Khupe’s experience highlights the critical role of early detection and access to advanced medical technology in cancer treatment. She stresses that while her journey was costly, early detection in Zimbabwe could significantly improve outcomes, even with existing healthcare infrastructure limitations. She founded the Thokozani Khupe Cancer Foundation in 2011, after her first breast cancer diagnosis, to raise awareness and promote early detection.

“Many” people in Zimbabwe are dying from cancer not because the disease is untreatable, but because of a lack of knowledge and delayed treatment. “Once cancer is detected early, it is easier and cheaper to treat,” she stated.

“But if it’s detected at an advanced stage, it becomes very difficult, complicated, and expensive to treat, like the one I have right now.”

Khupe’s story, while deeply personal, carries a broader message. It underscores the urgent need for improved cancer diagnosis and treatment in Zimbabwe, the importance of early detection, and the significant impact that access to advanced medical technology and financial resources can have on survival rates.

Her advocacy through the Thokozani Khupe Cancer Foundation aims to empower individuals and communities to take control of their health and fight this devastating disease.