Woman battles rare condition

Daphne Machiri
When Catherine Muringazuva was only 20 years old, she was diagnosed with a rare condition – a severe case of neurofibromatosis – and was told that she only had five more years to live.
The condition left her with growths all over her body.
“I started noticing some coffee-coloured patches on the skin and the patches developed into soft bumps under my skin. The bumps grew, causing irritation,” Catherine narrated how her nightmare started.
She said her parents seek help from traditional and faith healers.
They left no stone unturned but sixteen years after the diagnosis, Catherine is still battling the condition.
“The growths are visible and everywhere I go, people point fingers at me. People shun me since they do not fully understand my condition,” she said.
One of the growths is on her thigh and because of it, she can no longer walk long distances.
“Household chores like cooking and sweeping are now almost impossible tasks for me. I can no longer travel long distances to fetch water. To make matters worse, my only child is disabled,” Catherine said.
She is, however, determined to fight her condition.
“Each morning when I wake up, I tell myself that I must fight this condition. Although the tumour on my thigh is getting bigger, I am not giving up hope,” added a determined Catherine.
Dr Hilda Bara, the Wilkins Hospital medical superintendent, demystified neurofibromatosis.
“Neurofibromatosis is a genetic condition that causes multiple tumours that affect the nervous system. They are usually non-cancerous but can affect such vital body organs as lungs. It can also cause deafness,” Dr Bara said.
Dr Bara said surgery to remove the growths is recommended since they can become cancerous.
According to Dr Bara, the condition is caused by a mutation in one of the genes. She said half of the people that are affected by the condition might not have a family history of the condition. This is called a spontaneous gene mutation.
The condition can also be inherited from parents.
Dr Bara said the condition’s severity varies from one person to the other.
Surgery is often required when the growths becomes life-threatening.
In her quest to fight the condition, Catherine is being assisted by Ms Regina Zimbiti, the founder of the Matthew Chitemamuswe Life Skills Rehabilitation Organisation.
Located in the Mashonaland district of Muzarabani, the organisation assists people living with disabilities to cope with their conditions.
“We instil self-confidence and self-esteem in people living with disabilities. We encourage them to live a normal life which includes taking part in community activities,” said Ms Zimbiti.