Webinar – Talking Lung Cancer 11 November 2021
A round table discussion via Zoom took place on 11 November 2021, featuring a lung cancer patient, Shereen Rampersadh; Dr Poovan Govender, Oncologist, and a palliative care nurse, Zodwa Sithole (CANSA Head of Advocacy) and caregiver, Christa Matthee.
Biographies:
Dr Poovan Govender
Dr Poovan Govender
He practices in Umhlanga and Durban.
Dr Poovan Govender completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Natal in 2000. He obtained his Fellowship in Radiation Oncology (FC Rad Onc) from the College of Medicine of South Africa in October 2008. Thereafter, Dr Govender completed his Master of Medicine in Radiotherapy and Oncology (MMED) through the University of Kwazulu Natal in 2011. He then received his certification as an oncologist from the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) in 2012. After stints as the clinical head of oncology at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in Durban and acting HOD in the Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology at the University of KwaZulu Natal, he ventured into private practice in October 2016, joining the Oncocare team. Dr Govender is on the editorial committee for the South African Journal of Oncology (SAJO) and serves as a postgraduate examiner with the College of Radiation Oncologists. He is also on the executive committee of the South African Society of Clinical and Radiation Oncologists (SASCRO). To date, he has 14 publications in peer-reviewed journals. He enjoys reading, music and yoga in his spare time.
Zodwa Sithole
Zodwa Sithole
Zodwa Sithole has worked in the health sector in various disciplines including general nursing, midwifery, community health and palliative care. She gained valuable experience in various private, government and community institutions and has worked in environments with limited resources, illiteracy, abject poverty and general deprivation, hence covering a diverse content of first and third world care.
She is formally trained in general nursing, Midwifery; Primary Health Care; Nursing Administration and Education; Community Health Care and Palliative Care.
She holds a B. Cur Degree and a Master’s Degree in Nursing.
Zodwa has participated in numerous national and international conferences. She has managed to advocate for the integration of Palliative Care in the caring of inmates living with life threatening illnesses in the South African prisons; advocated for Palliative Care with Traditional Healers resulting in the development of a Palliative Care curriculum for Traditional Healers. She coordinated the development of Alliance for Access to Palliative Care – a group of individuals who are not working for Palliative Care but assist in advocating for Palliative Care.
She is currently working for the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) as Head: Advocacy.
Christa Matthee
Christa Matthee
In 2002 I joined CANSA as a fundraiser and assisted with patient care as the town we lived in was quite small. My Dad was diagnosed with lung cancer and sadly lost his battle on the 12th August 2021.
My Mum was diagnosed in March with colorectal cancer and has recently been told she is in remission.
We run our families day to day, we cook – we say we are tired, but we keep on going. Being a caregiver is such an honour, but it is hard and reality is cruel.
Every day is a blessing and definitely not a given.
I was honoured to be my Dad’s caregiver and if my Mum needs me to be her caregiver into the future, I will be there for her.
Shereen Rampersadh
Shereen Rampersadh
Hi I’m Shereen Rampersadh I’m from Richardsbay KZN South Africa. In 2018 I was diagnosed with lung cancer.
In 2019 I was diagnosed with EGFR mutation lung cancer with bone metastases.
I’m a fighter who is very positive and I thank god for everyday I’m alive.
My family is my pillar of strength and gives me courage to fight this battle against this dreadful disease.
