“My blessing was Relay”

Gerrit Kortje – My wife Anthea was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 and underwent a left breast mastectomy.

She received treatment in Cape Town, approximately 150km from our home in Ceres. At the time we had two children at university and two more at school.

Although, we were very fortunate to have a medical aid, we still had financial constraints with all the travelling costs and so forth.

Cancer affected me in more ways, and I was emotionally drained because my father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer as well in 2014 and later passed away, and one of my colleagues was also diagnosed with cervical cancer and passed away in 2015.

My wife’s cancer diagnosis affected our household but by the power of prayer we got through this difficult time. My blessing was that I was part of the CANSA Relay For Life committee and we were able to help less fortunate people in our poor, rural community through cancer education and awareness campaigns.

I have been involved with CANSA Relay For Life since 2011 and I have been part of the planning committee since 2012. My involvement with Relay provides motivation and empowerment to myself and others. I love working with cancer patients and it gives me a sense of personal enrichment.