'I defeated cancer'

Cornelius Kamerika (39) is a banker with a heart of steel. He battled cancer and survived.

He was diagnosed with cancer of the pharynx, which lapsed to the base of his skull. Major symptoms were pain in his left ear and endless headaches.

Kamerika believes knowledge should be shared. It's against this background that he decided to share his experience. This concurs with the recently launched Bank Windhoek Cancer Apple Project. The main aim of the project is to raise funds for the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) and to create awareness about the disease.

“The number of cancer patients in our country is alarming,” said Kamerika.

How it all began

Kamerika’s life took a dramatic turn in 2008. “I had a normal life. Suddenly I started having endless headaches. Every month I would find myself at the doctor,” he said.

He then decided to get tested.

His results were abnormal and he was later referred to a specialist. Kamerika was diagnosed with cancer of the pharynx, also known as throat cancer.

“Throat cancer begins with the vocal cords. Later, it spreads to the voice box (larynx) to the back of the throat, including parts of the tongue and the tonsils (this whole area is called the pharynx), or below the voice box to the sub glottis and trachea (windpipe),” he explained.

“After being diagnosed, my emotions were high. The endless tests and the battle of life and death decisions followed by surgery, chemo and radiotherapy exhausted me,” he said.

Doctors examined Kamerika and confirmed the cancerous growth.

He underwent surgery and as many as 46 lymph nodes were removed - 31 cancerous.

This left him half paralyzed and this was just the beginning.

Kamerika went for chemotherapy every five weeks. To add to that, radiotherapy followed.

“Pain became the order of the day,” he recalled.

He was told to go to Cape Town for radiotherapy for eight weeks.

While there, he lost 28% of his body weight. Without active taste glands, food tasted like paper. He met some Namibian patients and they supported each other.

The situation almost got worse when a doctor tried to classify him as a stage four cancer patient.

He recalled instances when he heard patients crying for help in the wards. “It was bad,” he said.

One morning Kamerika woke up and realised he lost his hair. The radiotherapy burned his skin.

“But I was happy that I didn't have to shave any more,” he joked.

Successful treatment

Kamerika’s treatment was successful and he was discharged in November 2009. Seven months later, Kamerika was back at work.

Although he found the side effects of radiotherapy annoying, the most important thing was that he was alive.

His biggest challenge is the vocal cord paralysis which makes eating, singing and speaking challenging.

“I struggle to remember things but it has never affected my work. I made sure the necessary systems are in place,” he said.

At home, it's a different story. He would for instance forget to refuel his car or even forget where he put the car keys. But Kamerika emphasised things are looking up.

He is thankful for people who supported him. He said cancer patients do not want people to feel sorry for them. They want to be loved, understood and to be filled with laughter.