Londiwe Buthelezi
7 June 2026
Njengoba iNingizimu Afrika igubha uSuku Likazwelonke Labasindile Emdlavuzeni (National Cancer Survivors Day) kuleli sonto, odokotela baveza impi engabonakali ekhungethe abasindile ngisho isifo semukile: lolu uvalo lwe-‘Scanxiety’ olubuyisa ihlazo nokuphazamiseka kwengqondo njalo uma kusondela isikhathi sokuyohlolwa emishinini. Ngaleli banga lonyaka ka-2026, lo mkhuba usubonwa njengenselelo enkulu edinga ukubhekwana nayo ngqo emikhakheni yezempilo yomphakathi neyabazimele.
Igama elithi ‘Scanxiety’ lihlanganisa igama lesingisi elithi Scan (ukushunqiswa noma ukuhlungwa ngemishini yezokwelapha efana ne-MRI, CT, noma i-Mammogram) nelithi Anxiety (ukukhathazeka okungapheli novalo). Kulabo abasindile emdlavuzeni, lolu valo luqala emasontweni ambalwa ngaphambi kokuba bayohlolwa ukuthi isifo asibuyanga yini, lushiye abaningi bengenabo ubuthongo, bekhubazeke ngokwengqondo.
Ngokusho kwabezempilo, lolu valo aluyona nje indaba “yokucabanga kakhulu,” kodwa luwukusabela okungokwemvelo komzimba osubone ukuhlukunyezwa ngokugula (trauma). Lapho umuntu elungiselela ukuyohlolwa, umqondo wakhe ukhumbula ubuhlungu be-chemotherapy, akhumbule nosuku anikezwa ngalo umbiko wokuqala wokugula.
Lolu valo ludala ukuba umzimba ukhiqize amazinga aphezulu ama-hormone omdlandla nokwesaba, i-cortisol ne-adrenaline, okwenza isiguli sibe nolaka, siphelelwe isifiso sokudla, siphathwe nayikhanda.
“I-Scanxiety iyingxenye engabonakali yomdlavuza elandela iziguli iminyaka eminingi ngisho sekuvele ukuthi isifo simukile,” kusho uSolwazi wezengqondo kwezempilo eNyuvesi yaseWitwatersrand (Wits). “ENingizimu Afrika, lolu valo lukhuliswa nayisikhathi eside iziguli ezisithathayo zilindele imiphumela (scan results) ezibhedlela zikahulumeni ngenxa yokushoda kwemishini nezazi. Isiguli singahlala amasonto amane silindele umbiko, kanti wonke lawo masonto asho ukuhlukunyezwa komqondo.”
Kubazali nasezihlotsheni ezikhulisa izingane noma ezisiza abayeni nabasebenzi babo emgwaqeni wokwelashwa, lolu valo luba yingxenye yempilo yawo wonke umndeni.
UNkosikazi Nomvula Khumalo (42) waseUmlazi, eThekwini, oneminyaka eyisithathu asinda emdlavuzeni webele (Breast Cancer), ulandisa ngobuhlungu abuzwayo njalo uma kusondela inyanga kaMeyi lapho efanele ukuyohlolwa khona e-Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital.
“Abantu basheshe bathi ‘halala usindile’, kodwa abalwazi uvalo olungena kulo mzimba wami njalo uma isikhathi se-scan sisondela,” kusho uNomvula edonsa umoya. “Ngo-2026 lona, ngiqale ukuhluleka ukulala kusasele inyanga yonke. Ngangiba nesicanucanu uma ngibona noma yini enombala oluhlaza ofana nowezindonga zesibhedlela. Umndeni wami uyangisaba ngoba ngiba nolaka kakhulu, inhliziyo ishaye ngamandla. Ngisuke ngisaba ukuthi bazoletha lowo mbiko othi isifo sibuyile, ngiphinde ngilahlekelwe izinwele nomsebenzi wami futhi.”
UNomvula uthi ukuthola abeluleki bezengqondo kwi-CANSA (Cancer Association of South Africa) kube yikhona okumsizayo ukuba afunde ukulawula uvalo ngokusebenzisa izindlela zokuphefumula nokuphuma ahambe emoyeni ovulekile uma imicabango emibi imhlasela.
Izazi zezifo zomdlavuza zithi sekuyisikhathi sokuba imitholampilo yomdlavuza ingagcini nje ngokuhlola umzimba, kodwa ihlole nomqondo wesiguli phakathi nezikhathi zokulandelela (follow-up protocols).
