Didi Coertze (18) was diagnosed with an extremely rare and aggressive bone cancer and had to have her foot amputated. The cancer has spread to her lungs, but hasn’t broken her spirit. It is with sadness that I have to say Didi didnt make it on the 14th of April 2012 she took her last breath. She was a inspiration to all on how to celebrate life and will be greatly missed.
Ingrid Kotzen is an old school friend of Joppie’s who has breast cancer. Had a mastectomy and reconstruction in August. Busy with chemotherapy at the moment.
Alexia van der Venter (2) suffers from T-Cell Acute Lymphoblasitc leukemia, but is currently in remission. She is awaiting a bone marrow transplant from abroad as there are no suitable donors in South Africa.
Lara (right) also suffers from breast cancer. She is undergoing chemotherapy at the moment.
Hannelie Laubscher: Lives in Calvinia. She has bone marrow cancer. She already had one transplant, but is in need of another one. Her contact number if anyone needs support or just wants someone to chat to that knows what they’re going through is as follows: 072 209 7904.
Magda Scholtz, 46, from Oudtshoorn. Was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. She had a lumpectomy and after that chemo and radiation. Had her first check up on 22 August 2011 and everything is looking good. She must stay on a cancer pill for the next 5 years. Contact details for support: 0827338021
Theo Pretorius has prostate and bladder cancer and receiving radiotherapy at the moment.Anyone who would like to contact him can do so at theop@mweb.co.za
SARCOMA knows no BORDERS and has no end… To the ones that have lost the battle and to the ones who will never sink.
Anyone who wants to chat or needs support is more than welcome to contact me by email: charlene.m.erasmus@gmail.com
20 Responses to Cancer Friends
Joy Webber says:	July 27, 2011 at 3:11 pm	Thank you Joppie,
When you are in Swellendam I would really like to meet you. Where will you be staying/lecturing?
Am a Lymphoma and bone marrow cancer survivor, experiencing a 2nd time “go” at the disease. I have no idea how I could be of assistance to you on your journey, but would like to !
Reply	Rosemarie says:	June 21, 2012 at 12:03 pm	Sadly Joy Webber passed away at 05h00 on 20th June 2012
She was a great friend and a wonderful person!
Reply	andre says:	August 10, 2011 at 7:53 am	Joppie, jou storie het trane na my oe gebring. Hier volg n baie interessante LINK wat hopelik hoop en uitkoms vir menige kan gee. Baie sterkte. Hoop om jou op jou tog raak te loop. Baie sterkte en ons salueer jou.
That documentary is available to be watched, full length, at no charge right now at NaturalNews.TV. Seriously, watch this video and you will be absolutely blown away by how the government has declared war on our country’s best anti-cancer pioneers who could cure millions of people.
Reply	Chris Smit says:	August 11, 2011 at 9:28 pm	Joppie,
Baie dankie vir die voorreg wat my te beurt geval ht om as omroeper by Suid Kaap FM hierdie t\10 miljoen tree daagliks deur die week met jou op my program “Hierlangs Huitoe” te mag bring. Jy kan verseker wees dat ons Oudtshoorniete jou vordering op alle maniere gaan volge en ondersteun.
Groete en baie voorspoed
Reply	Kobie de Beer Jasmyn House says:	August 24, 2011 at 7:32 pm	Joppie
Dit was met trane in my oe toe ek net voor ses langs die pad voor Worcester by jou gestop het. Carmen ons skoonmaker het gese dit is seker jy wat daar stap toe ons op pad was Overhex Kelder toe om haar af te laai want sy het op die radio vandag gehoor dat jy vir Kanker stap vir jou dogter. Ek het vir jou gevra of jy slaapplek het vannaand want ek wou vir jou aanbied dat jy by ons kom oorslaap.
Ek het gou vinnig in die web blad ingegaan, mens voorspoed met die fonds insameling en sterkte en Gods rykste seen op die pad voorentoe. Mag jy met God se Hand in joune stap en mag Hy jou veilig bewaar.
Reply	Bernie Colyn says:	August 26, 2011 at 1:51 pm	Liewe Joppie
Ek volg jou blog elke dag en moet sê ek is net so trosts op jou dat jy 50 km gestap het . Dankie dat ek julle ook kon vra om vir Cherlize te bid sal jou laat weet of sy toe haar beentjie verloor het of wat gaan gebeur. Sterkte met die stap mag die Liewe Vader jou veilig hou.
Reyno & Bernie Colyn
Reply	Jacqui says:	September 5, 2011 at 10:53 am	Hi Joppie,
I am Alexia’s mom (one of your cancer friends) and I can’t begin to explain to you how emotional we (Glen & I) were when we saw you off in Oudtshoorn. I don’t think there was a dry eye in sight. You are an inspiration to all of us.
I hope and pray that your journey will be rewarding to you as well. We have not yet found a donor but that has not dampened our spirits. She is doing well at the moment and is a bundle of joy and energy.
Thank you for what you are doing. This world could really do with more people like you!
Glen, Jacqui & Alexia
Reply	Erhardt en Eldra says:	September 12, 2011 at 10:08 am	Hi daar, so trots op jou…..en so bly vir almal daar buite wat soveel omgee…laat mens weer besef dat daar nog ongelooflike mense daar buite is!
Het jou verjaarsdag gemis…..Zanne het gese sy gaan vir jou kuier. Liewer laat as ooit…baie geluk, en bly om te sien dat jy n great dag gehad het.
Sterkte op jou pad vorentoe.
Baie liefde van almal in PE
Reply	christo jonker says:	September 30, 2011 at 3:54 pm	ek dink dis fantasties vir wat jy doen vir kanker
Reply	Estelle Bezuidenhout says:	October 6, 2011 at 5:16 pm	Ek het in 2008 ontdek ek het borskanker en het my regterbors verloor. Ek het 6 chemo behandelings gehad asook 20 bestraling sessies. Saam met my bors is 28 limfkliere ook verwyder waarvan 13 kanker was. Tot dusver gaan dit baie goed met my. My Julie ondersoek was skoon. Ek is baie dankbaar. Estelle Bezuidenhout, Oudtshoorn.
Reply	lizanne says:	October 10, 2011 at 10:20 am	Hi Estelle as u wil kan u nie vir my n foto deurstuur na tenmillionstepsforcancer@gmail.com ni dan add ons u as n cancer friend. Bly om e hoor u is skoon, bid en hoop dit bly so.
Reply	Michelle says:	November 16, 2011 at 4:01 pm	Middag Joppi,
my man is gediagniseer januarie 2009 met ewing sarcoma, ons het als deur gemaak, chemo en bestraaling, en hys nou september die 14d oorlede, ouderdom van 32, was die hartseerste en moeilikste tyd in my lewe. huwelik van 12 jaar en 2 klein kindertjies en dis vir my so onregverdig… hy was die beste man en pappa ooit, daart niks vir sy hande terug gestaan nie, hyt ons so bederf, hy was so harde werker. ons was reg van desember af 2010 hy gaan sterf maar rerig dit wat ons die laaste 2 weke deur gegaan het was onmenslik, dit was so wreed, ek kan dit nie beskryf nie, als wat hy gese het moenie met hom gebeur nie, het gebeur. hyt soos n kind van 5 opgetree, beroerte gehad, baie moeilik gepraat, kon nie meer loop nie – parapleeg, sy laaste 5 dae was hy in ‘n koma en sy organe het in gegee en hyt eintlik versmoor van die water wat op stoot in sy longe. ek kon als hanteer selfs die wete hy gaan dood gaan maar die manier wat hy oorlede is, is vir my verskriklik. sy laaste woorde aan my was op die 9de september..ekt hom gevra wie is ek en hy het gese michelle, ek was so bly hy weet wie ek is en toe se hy… Jys my vrou en ek jou man, dis ‘n memory wat veraltyd diep in my hart sal wees. 2 maande later kan ek nog steeds nie glo hys dood nie, daar is dae wat ek wens ek kan my oe oop maak en hys hier langs my en dan moet ek na my dogtertjie en seunrtjie kyk en ek besef weer hys weg… die pad is nog lank om te stap en dis baie moeilik. Niemand kan iets werklik se tot die dag wat jy self hier deur gaan en dis nie maklik nie. Ek bid elke dag vir Onse Vader om die pad net ‘n bietjie ligter te maak en ek glo Hy gaan… God het die mooiste engel – Emile kom haal en ek weet hy is God se regter hand…
Reply	Willie en Mariana says:	November 23, 2011 at 4:37 pm	Joppie,Ons was bevoorreg om jou te ontmoet voor Groblershoop. Ons het ‘n “dankie Abba Vader” toer gedoen en op ons voetspore terug gegaan tot waar ek en Mariana in 1995 ontmoet het te Upington en 35 geseënde jare getroud is.Ons is albei in 2007 gediagnoseer met kanker. Mariana met borskanker en gevolglike mastektomie en chemo en ek met prostaat kanker.God se genade is so groot.Ons kan getuig van ‘n nuwe lewe in Christus en wens jou en jou span God se rykste seëninge toe in jou “quest” vir kanker bewusmaking.Ons bid vir jou Psalm 34 vers 7 toe, ja dat God Sy engele opdrag gee om kamp op te slaan rondom jou met elke tree wat jy gee. Shalom
Reply	Frikkie van Tonder says:	January 31, 2012 at 5:46 pm	Hi my vriend ons kuiertjie Vrydag was sielekos vir my dankie en om jou vandag naby Randfontein in al jou glorie te sien stap met al jou bagasie was goed. Jou woorde van die vreemde bekomernisse waardeur ons kinders soms moes gaan sal my altyd bybly. Sterkte met jou staptog ek bid jou n veilige reis met min vreemde bekomerisse. Groete jou vriend Frikkie
Reply	Nadia Gamieldien says:	April 3, 2012 at 10:27 am	Joppie- ur story is so inspiring! I have lost many relatives due to various types of cancer and subconsciously I fear I might go that way too. I therefor do my utmost to assist those with cancer and to raise funds for cancer. I would love to cover your story within my publication.
Reply	carien says:	April 5, 2012 at 12:02 am	Halo oom Joppie….
Bly ons het oom in een stuk vanmiddag gekry, dis so leker om oom hier by ons te he, en dit voel so wonderlik om n bydra te he om te help met die veg teen kanker, ons het vanmiddag uitgevind dat my oom Koos wat ok al jare lange vriende met oom is ook kanker het, dis n groot skok gewees! Maar glo en bid vir jou oom Koos en vir al die ander kanker vegters wat daar buite is!! Sterkte met die 4 maande wat oor is, Jesis sal oom se hand vashou deur die res van die pad!!! Baie liefde
Reply	ewan van breda says:	May 30, 2012 at 6:02 pm	Ek wens julle alle sterkte to met julle herstel en vir die wat nog onder behandeling is, sterkte.
Ek het ongelukkig nou eers van die stap te hoor gekom terwyl ek besig was met navorsing vir my eie Kanker bewusmakings tog. Ek hoop net ek kan dieselfde ondersteuning kry vir my tog as wat Joppie.
My Pa is te laat gediagnoseer met prostaat kanker so my tog gaan gefokus wees of vroee diagnose , vroee behandeling. Net ‘n jammerte hulle het hom te laat gediagnoseer, maar hy bakly teen die kanker elke dag.
Reply	jean van schalkwyk says:	June 4, 2012 at 10:09 pm	joppie its a small world we all live in you have brought me to tears when i read your story.
i saw you just out side queenstown and again in cathcart and want to help where i can.
jean van schalkwyk 0716890404
Reply	Ockie en Sandra Goosen says:	June 20, 2012 at 10:24 am	Joppie, ons weet nooit hoekom en waarom nie, maar God het die antwoorde, ek weet sy is so trots op haar pappa. Ons het ook baie hartseer in ons familie en vriende kringe met jong mense wat ons verloor het, meskien ken jy my Broer Andre Barnard van George, wat sy seun Louwtjie ‘n paar jaar terug verloor het, so vinnig…. Ons sien jou vanaand in Port Alfred, ek het vir jou lekker biltong laat pak vir die res van die pad om aan te nibbel. Sterkte en mag ons Hemelse Vader jou in sy hande toevou en dra tot waar jy moet wees.
Ockie & Sandra Goosen
South Seas Butchery
Reply	Lyn Small says:	March 22, 2013 at 3:16 pm	Keagan my son, now aged nearly 26, was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in Jan 2009. The past years have been like a roller coaster ride with him having three major surgeries (hip, lower spine and arm), two years of chemo, radiotherapy to the hip and currently to the arm. Blood tests, bone marrow biopsies and lots more. It has been a journey through fire and yet there have been some amazing blessings – like the wonderful people we have come to know, like you Joppie who inspires, encourages and practically assists people like us! We wish you continued energy in your efforts to support those faced with a most relentless disease Joppie. Our message is one of hope though. To those faced with this struggle and those supporting them, to do everything possible to support your immune system with excellent nutrition and maintain a positive, optimistic attitude, reading inspirational writing, maintaining a sense of humour and faith in a Higher Power. A strong support group for those affected is vital. After a third occurence of ES in his left humerus early this year – limb salvage surgery was performed in CT and Keagan now has a prosthetic humerus. He is currently undergoing rt in Durban and has started rehab for his arm to regain use and strength. Best and most amazing news is that on Wed 20 March 2013 he was lucky enough to have a full head to toe PET Scan which looks at all soft tissue and bone, and the radiologist report was that there was no abnormal uptake – a clear scan result ! Who would have believed it! Never give up hope – do whatever you need to and whatever you can. It is a hard, sometimes cruel but often amazing journey with unexpected blessings. Light and strength to anyone on this road !