adminBongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
FORMER Studio 263 and Coliwe actress Pretty Xaba is responding well to chemotherapy and radiotherapy in India with doctors saying she will be operated on at the end of December. Xaba, who was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus, travelled to India two weeks ago to seek medical treatment and surgery. This was after fellow artistes had successfully held a fundraising campaign where they raised $2,000.
Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PHD) leader Walter Magaya donated the remaining $18,000 to raise the $20,000 she needed for travel expenses and treatment in India.
In pictures shared by her family members, Xaba was bright eyed on her hospital bed at the BLK Super Specialty Hospital in New Delhi.
Co-ordinator of the fundraising campaign dubbed “Let’s Help Pretty Xaba”, Taonga Mafundikwa, said doctors were closely monitoring Xaba’s progress in India.
“Her weight and the size of the tumour made it difficult for doctors to perform the surgery. She is therefore undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She is holding up well because she looks better than on the day she arrived there.
“Doctors are monitoring her closely to see how her health progresses,” Mafundikwa said.
He said Xaba would now stay longer than expected in India because of the therapy.
“Pretty will have to stay in India for longer than we budgeted for because we thought she would stay at the hospital for a month, the duration of her operation and recovery.
“The doctors have decided to keep her for more,” he said.
Mafundikwa said more efforts have to be made to source funds for her extended stay in India.
“We are consulting with the doctors on how long she is going to be admitted there. We will know how much will be needed by end of week. Public and well wishers who want to donate will be informed then,” he said.
derick.khumalo