Johannesburg - Author and activist Zoleka Mandela has opened up about her cancer battle, revealing that she is having conversations with her loved ones about the days leading to her death.
What will happen to her book and her kids are just a few subjects she says she is confronting.
In a video shared on her Instagram account, Mandela spoke candidly on Kaya FM about her health and plans.
"There is a lot of pain. I mean, every day is different, so the form of treatment is different in the sense that in this regard they are doing a lot of trying to improve my quality of life and in reducing pain. So my treatment would be more about strengthening the bones, which are easily fractured. So I do have fractured bones due to cancer," she said.
"No, I mean, I think for a very long time I was just like, okay, I am tired; let it do what it needs to do. And that’s fine. I don’t want to do that to my kids. And I think it probably will sound strange, but I think I am blessed enough or fortunate enough to be in a position where I am in my planning stages. I am having conversations with my loved ones. My lawyer, my therapist, and my siblings talked about what happens on the day leading up to my passing. What happens after I pass away?".
Mandela has also been sharing her journey on all her social platforms with each change in her health.
In August last year, the author, who has had a 10-year cancer battle, revealed that she had bone metastasis.
She gave an update, highlighting that she is hanging on by a thread.
Taking to her Instagram account, she shared a video and said: "Yesterday (August 29, 2022) marked my official diagnosis; the CT scan has revealed cancer in both my liver and lungs. I am yet to receive feedback regarding the bone scan to establish whether I have cancer beyond my ribs. I am hanging on by a thread. Thanking you all for your outpouring of love, prayer, and support. Peace. Passion. Positivity."
This stemmed from an excruciating pain in her back and her left rib that she said she had endured for a month.
"I’ve had a sore back for more than a month now and recently consulted with my GP when I could no longer tolerate the excruciating pain in my left rib. I went for an X-ray of my chest and ribs a few days ago; I have a pathological fracture and swelling caused by cancer.
"From what she’s told me, cancer in the bones cannot be eradicated, nor can it be cured. I have bone metastasis. I’ve just had my CAT scan and am awaiting my results. I don’t even have the words to articulate my thoughts and feelings, the words to describe how scared I am right now."
The Star