BY Nkosazana Ngwadla
In 2021, when Nomgcobo Deppa, 37, started her Advanced Diploma in Quality Management, her second qualification at the Nelson Mandela University in the Eastern Cape, she never would have guessed what a turbulent journey lay ahead for her and her road to graduation.
In the same year, Nomgcobo started experiencing severe pain in her hip but the initial scans, failed to yield a diagnosis. Eventually, in November 2021 after suffering through constant pain, she was diagnosed with a benign tumour. Unfortunately, an operation to ease her discomfort, proved unsuccessful and instead the pain intensified, and the wound was not healing well.
Baffled by Nomgcobo’s situation, she was transferred to an orthopaedic specialist at Vincent Pallotti Hospital in Cape Town, where it was discovered that the tumour was aggressively growing.
“From January to May, I could barely sleep, I cried like a baby, because of the pain. The tumour had more than doubled in size, was cancerous, and had started eating into my pelvis bone,” said Nomgcobo.
In May 2022, the tumour was removed and the pelvis bone replaced with an artificial one, however, the wound from the operation stubbornly refused to heal.
“There was continuous oozing, excruciating pain, with every known medical regime administered, but to no avail,” said Nomgcobo.
Finally, it was discovered that the continuous oozing of the wound and the piercing pain was caused by the cancer beginning to spread into other parts of her body. No radiation or chemotherapy could stop the spread and the surgeon then recommended an amputation of Nomgcobo’s whole leg, a portion of her buttocks and hip.
“I could not sleep for two nights, weighing up the decision, to lose my leg but I thought of my 10-year-old daughter. She needs me, we are both too young to be separated from each other,” said Nomgcobo.
After a family meeting with the surgeon and weighing up all her options for the best possible solution for a pain-free improved quality of life Nomgcobo, consented to the amputation of her leg.
And despite this challenging time, Nomgcobo, continued her studies, grateful that she was able to write her tests, submit assignments and catch up with class recordings, through virtual platforms, from her hospital bed.
“It was not easy, but I was determined that regardless of what I was going through, I would continue, and my studies helped shift focus from my circumstances,” said Nomgcobo.
She has been employed as a quality controller at Transnet Engineering for the past 10 years but is currently on medical leave, while undergoing chemotherapy to stop the spread of any remaining cancerous cells.
Nomgcobo expressed immense gratitude for her support system, “I would not have been able to accomplish anything without them. My family, my lecturers, the hospital staff, they all played a role in helping me achieve this qualification”.
“As an independent woman, this experience has humbled me, having to depend on others, has been challenging and learning to operate without a limb has been frustrating,” she said. And while she currently uses crutches, she will soon be fitted for a prosthetic leg, which she hopes will improve her mobility even more.
And despite, the traumatic events leading up to her graduation this April, Nomgcobo plans to continue studying.
When I told my boss, I will take a break from studying for a while, I was told: ‘You will continue to study, we want to see you in a leadership role,’ she laughs.
“We don’t know what our tomorrows will bring. Whatever goals you have, make sure you try to achieve them. Trust God and go after your dreams,” encourages Nomgcobo.
Image and source: Nelson Mandela University
