Cancer Champions | FILOTIMO CANCER

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THE MACHI FILOTIMO CANCER PROJECT

FILOTIMO CANCER CHAMPIONS

Welcome to our Filotimo Cancer Champions Page

Our Cancer Champions are extraordinary individuals who, in the face of adversity and against all odds, not only survived cancer—but now share their stories to inspire others.

We believe that the growth of our Cancer Champion Programme is key to reaching more people, raising awareness, and offering hope. By celebrating the voices of cancer survivors and warriors, we can positively impact the mental and emotional wellbeing of those still fighting. Together, we can change and touch lives!

As a Filotimo Cancer Champion, you will be invited to:

• Take part in events and functions

• Connect with our partners and affiliates

• Help grow our partnership network

• Share our mission across your own platforms

• Support the project through awareness and fundraising initiatives

We warmly invite you to share your journey with us. If you would like to be featured on our Cancer Champions page, please send us:

• A one-page summary of your cancer journey

• A few photographs to accompany your story

Email your submission to: evy@filotimo.org.za

We are deeply humbled and honoured to walk alongside you on your epic journey.

NICOLE FULLER

BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR

"CANCER DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE"

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DIANNE CHRISTOPHERS

BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR

"ONE DAY YOUR STORY

WILL BE SOMEONE'S

SURVIVAL GUIDE".

MICHELLE DE GOUVEIA

TRIPLE NEGATIVE

BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR

"WHAT I CAN SAY, IS THAT I WANT TO LIVE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD, FOR ALL THE REASONS A MOM DOES!"

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jeremy

maritz

THYROID CANCER SURVIVOR

"GOD NEVER LEFT MY SIDE

AND CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN ME

TO THIS DAY"

DENISE MODLIN GOLDSTEIN

BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR

"LIFE IS A JOURNEY,

FOLLOW THE ROAD AND YOU WILL SUCCEED.

BE POSITIVE AND DON'T TAKE YOUR HEALTH FOR GRANTED!"

ABLE

MDHLULI

LEUKEMIA SURVIVOR

"KEEP STRIVING,

FOR GOD GIVES HIS

HARDEST BATTLES

TO HIS

STRONGEST SOLDIERS”

RHONA

JONES

BRAIN CANCER SURVIVOR

MY MOTTO IS....

"BE KINDER AND GENTLER"

EVERYONE YOU MEET IS FIGHTING SOME KIND OF BATTLE

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NIKKI

PENNEL

BREAST CANCER WARRIOR

NIKKI TAKES MONTY PYTHON'S ADVICE TO

“ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE”

VERY SERIOUSLY!

MARIA

DA COSTA

BREAST & BONE CANCER WARRIOR

"FIGHT THE BATTLE AND

WIN THE RACE....

BY THE GRACE OF GOD"

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LIZELLE

KNOTT

STAGE 4 METASTATIC BREAST CANCER THRIVER & LYMPHOMA SURVIVOR

“ATTITUDE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ORDEAL AND AN ADVENTURE"

CLAUDIA

MENDES

SAVVIDES

CERVICAL CANCER SURVIVOR

“THE FIRE INSIDE ME BURNED BRIGHTER THAN THE FIRE AROUND ME"

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CHANTELLE

DELPORT

MELANOMA CANCER WARRIOR

"GOD HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME

AND I HAVE SO MUCH FAITH

THAT I WILL BE HEALED!"

BRETT

ENSLIN

TESTICULAR CANCER SURVIVOR

"THE IDEA IS

NOT TO LIVE FOREVER,

BUT CREATE SOMETHING THAT WILL"

ANGELIQUE

LYNCH

BREAST CANCER

SURVIVOR

"MY HOPE IS THAT IN SHARING MY STORY

AND STRATEGIES, I CAN INSPIRE OTHERS TO BE BOLD IN THE BOARDROOM AND IN LIFE"

DANIELLA

VAN ZYL

LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA SURVIVOR

"LEUKAEMIA CREPT UP ON ME AND TRULY KNOCKED ME OFF MY FEET"

SCHEBONN

DE WET

STAGE IV METASTATIC MELANOMA

SURVIVOR

"THE MEANING OF LIFE IS NOT SIMPLY TO EXIST, TO SURVIVE.... BUT TO MOVE AHEAD, TO GO UP, TO ACHIEVE, TO CONQUER!"

CATHERINE THOMPSON

NON-HODGKIN'S

T-CELL LYMPHOMA

SURVIVOR

"CONSTANT STRENGTH OF MIND AND TAKING THE STRESS OUT OF LIFE,

IS WHAT I TRY TO FOCUS ON"

NASTASYA

KOUMARAS

TRIPLE NEGATIVE

BREAST CANCER

WARRIOR

"SURGERY, CHEMO, FERTILITY TREATMENT AND RADIATION - I'VE DONE IT ALL,

BUT I ALWAYS SMILE"

STEVE

KELLY

BREAST CANCER

SURVIVOR

"EVERY DAY IS A GIFT.

LIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE FULLEST"

BABETTE

LABUSCHAGNE

TRIPLE NEGATIVE

BREAST CANCER

WARRIOR

"VULNERABILITY IS NOT A WEAKNESS -

IT'S OUR GREATEST MEASURE OF COURAGE"

DRIKA

LOUW

BREAST CANCER

SURVIVOR

"BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

DO NOT DOUBT YOURSELF IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE"

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BIANCA

PARSONS

MELANOMA CANCER

WARRIOR

"I HAVE CANCER,

BUT CANCER DOENS'T HAVE ME!"

CHANEZ

ERASMUS

SYNOVIAL SARCOMA

SURVIVOR

"FIGHT YOUR BATTLE AND

WEAR YOUR SCARES WITH PRIDE....

IT IS PART OF WHAT MAKES YOU, YOU, AND YOU ARE PERFECT!"

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BIANCA

BORRILL

PAPILLARY THYROID

CARCINOMA SURVIVOR

"WE ONLY HAVE ONE LIFE,

WE NEED TO LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST"

ALEXIA

OLIVER

PRIMARY MEDIASTINAL

DIFFUSE LARGE B-CELL

NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA

CANCER SURVIVOR

“THOSE WHO HAVE A WHY TO LIVE, CAN BEAR WITH ALMOST ANY HOW"

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DOMINIQUE

SWART

STAGE 2

TRIPLE NEGATIVE

BREAST CANCER

SURVIVOR

“I LEANED HEAVILY INTO MY FAITH -

I WOULD NEVER HAVE GOT THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITHOUT

MY GOD WITH ME”

ADERA

KACHIENGA

STAGE 0 & STAGE 1

INVASIVE

BREAST CANCER HR2+

SURVIVOR

“YEAH.. TAKING IT ONE DAY AT A TIME”

THATO

MPHAMO

BREAST CANCER

HER2+ GRADE 3

SURVIVOR

“I FOUGHT FOR MY MOTHER….”

JOANNA

NAICKER

COLON CANCER

STAGE 4

WARRIOR

“NO ONE ESCAPES PAIN, FEAR AND SUFFERING.

YET FROM PAIN CAN COME WISDOM, FROM FEAR CAN COME COURAGE, FROM SUFFERING CAN COME STRENGTH -

IF WE HAVE THE VIRTUE OF RESILIENCE”

January 2021- Charity Walk for I LOVE BO

NINA

HAMPTON

BREAST CANCER

WARRIOR

INVASIVE DUCTAL CARCINOMA STAGE 1, GRADE 2

“ONE DAY YOU WILL TELL YOUR STORY OF HOW YOU'VE OVERCOME WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH NOW, AND IT WILL BECOME PART OF SOMEONE ELSE'S SURVIVAL GUIDE"

KIRSTEN

OSBORN

COLON CANCER

STAGE 4

WARRIOR

“MY THEM THAT I SHARE WITH

EVERYONE THAT KNOWS ME IS...

NOT TODAY!!!"

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ASHLEIGH

CARADAS

BREAST CANCER

SURVIVOR

“I am truly grateful for my life. Having a strong will to live is essential to survival. I threw all that I had into my passions and decided to just live it up and carry on doing all the things that make me happy"

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NATASHA

BROWN

BRAIN CANCER

WARRIOR

“I have come this far and I am stronger than anyone thought I could be - giving up was never an option"

AMBER

WRIGHT

BREAST CANCER

WARRIOR

“I have come to rely on 2 pillars in my life: my faith and my family.

They are what have brought me through the most challenging thing that I have ever had to face"

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HESTER

OKOH

STAGE 4 LUNG CANCER

WARRIOR

“I am still alive years later to testify on how I have survived and managed to defy such a hopeless medical verdict through my stubborn and enduring faith in God".

RAQUEL
NEILSON

TRIPPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER

WARRIOR

“I am one blessed girl. I have had the most incredible amount of support and love. On the days I didn’t have the strength, sense of humour and energy, my family and friends had it for me".

ERIC
PROUDFOOT

MELANOMA CANCER

WARRIOR

“It’s now time for me to show some GRIT. My GRIT journey has just started and I intend to make my kids proud"

DENISE
REDDY

BREAST CANCER

WARRIOR

"I thank God

for his grace and mercy every day

for taking me out of this situation....

and into a brand new life."

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CHANTEL

OELOFSE

BREAST CANCER
WARRIOR

"Every single person is fighting some or other battle. Even while struggling with adversity, each of us can still be a light in someone else's life. So be THAT person...the one that actually cares and makes a difference!".

ALEX AZAB TSAURA

BREAST CANCER
WARRIOR

"When I researched about it, I got the shock of my life....men have breasts too and they can have breast cancer!".

NANIKI

SEBONI

MELANOMA CANCER

SURVIVOR

"SPEAKING IS A PRIVILEGE FOR ME,

I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO POSITIVELY

CHANGE SOMEONE'S LIFE"

MPUMELELO
UBISI

BREAST CANCER
WARRIOR

"I have an amazing partner who encourages me everyday,

reminds me why I have to live....."

TRACY STODDART

CERVICAL CANCER
WARRIOR

My cancer journey was something I was going to deal with and then sweep it under the carpet and carry on with my life.

But after watching my cousin, Nikki Pennel, and the way she handled her journey, she inspired me to be open about my experience.

NTOKOZO DLUDLA

BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR
& CANCER PATIENT NAVIGATOR

My journey is been interesting when I look back now.... I am able to say that if you stay positive anything is possible!

KAREN STEYN

BREAST CANCER
WARRIOR

Life taught me:

There is hope in the dark. I must believe that God is good when life is not.

God is good all the time.

LUCILLE SIGABAN

BREAST CANCER WARRIOR

"A note to all Cancer fighters out there Cancer is not a nice thing but just have a positive mind and fight like you have never fought before and that will keep you strong. Don’t give up!t's easy.

CHRISTELLE FITZELL

BREAST CANCER WARRIOR

"3 September 2020, everything and anything I thought I knew about myself and life, changed in minutes. Mammogram & Ultrasound was done and while waiting in the seated area I was called in for biopsy - its painful & uncomfortable and while lying there I just knew!"

ALEXIS KALLIGIANNIS

LIVER CANCER SURVIVOR

"Cancer is a part of my life, but it’s not my whole life. When days seem dark, I know to hang on – to see the sunrise yet again. Another day I have conquered!"

LINDIE LIEBENBERG

BREAST CANCER WARRIOR

"You never know how strong you are,

till being strong is your only option!"

TARYN CURRIE

BREAST CANCER WARRIOR

"Celebrate all the milestones with your loved ones

and make each day count".

SHOBA RAMDIN

LUNG CANCER WARRIOR

"I went for the second dose of my vaccination, after which I had flu and a week later developed a cough... and my journey began”

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