Online Reporter
Tanaka Nkala and Michelle Musandinyoze
A 31-year-old mother from Kezi in Matobo District is appealing for financial assistance to help save the life of her six-year-old son, who has been battling a rare and aggressive form of eye cancer for nearly two years.
The young Nkanyiso Ndlovu was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma in 2024, leaving his unemployed mother struggling to cope both emotionally and financially. Ms Hloniphani Ndlovu told Chronicle that her son urgently requires an MRI scan costing US$750 before undergoing a critical operation.
She revealed that the boy’s painful journey began when she noticed unusual swelling around his right eye.
“What began as a minor illness turned into a devastating diagnosis that has left us struggling emotionally and financially,” she said. According to Ms Ndlovu, she initially sought medical assistance from local clinics in Kezi before Nkanyiso was referred to Gwanda Provincial Hospital for further assessment.
Doctors in Gwanda later transferred the child to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), where specialists conducted several tests, including a biopsy.
“The doctors later confirmed that my child has a rare eye cancer,” said Ms Ndlovu.
Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare cancer that affects soft tissue and muscles and can spread rapidly if not treated early.
Following the diagnosis, Nkanyiso was referred to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare for specialised treatment, but the journey proved difficult for the already struggling mother.
“At first I did not have money for transport from Bulawayo to Harare. The hospital contacted a social welfare organisation that assists children with cancer and they provided us with an ambulance,” she said.
The mother and child remained in hospital for nearly three months before doctors commenced chemotherapy treatment.
After several sessions, Nkanyiso’s condition improved significantly and the cancer appeared to have gone into remission.
“We were so happy because after the treatment, the cancer was gone and my child was discharged. However, the relief was short lived,” she said. Shortly after returning to Kezi, Ms Ndlovu fell seriously ill and was unable to continue caring for her son. She also had no income and formal qualifications.
She had no choice but to send Nkanyiso to live with his remarried father, Hloniphani Moyo.
“I hoped his father would continue taking him for medical reviews and treatment, instead, tragedy struck again,” she said.
As the tumour grew, Nkanyiso reportedly endured severe pain and infection, with his condition deteriorating to a distressing level.
“Maggots were coming out of the growth and they were removing them using a stick,” she said emotionally. Concerned relatives eventually intervened after discovering the child’s worsening condition and rushed him back to hospital for urgent medical care.
Nkanyiso has since resumed a second round of chemotherapy and is now scheduled to undergo surgery, which requires an MRI scan to determine the extent of the cancer and guide the procedure.
“We are pleading with members of the public to help us in anyway they can and we just want Nkanyiso to be operated on and be able to live a normal life again. Well-wishers can contact them on 0783 026 046,” said Ms Ndlovu.
