She found a loophole in her trials

Ms Chaikhwa Lobatse- A Game Changer is someone who leads change.   

 

Ms Chaikhwa Lobatse during one of their support Group talks

Chaikhwa Nani Lobatse’s life changed four years ago when she was diagnosed with cancer, years later after chemo therapy and her leg being amputated she has now survived what she defines as her biggest challenge. The 25 years old Nurse and 2016 Mandela Washington fellow, describes herself as a cancer and disability activist.Inspired by her own survival story, Ms Lobatse and her colleagues found it fit to start a cancer support group in Serowe with the mandate of supporting cancer patients and their caregivers and raising awareness on cancer so that people in her community can get early detection of cancer.

When she was diagnosed with cancer, Lobatse says she was in shock, but eventually she accepted the news, more especially because of the support she got from family, her colleagues and friends. This change brought about a lot of positivity in her life one of them being able to help those that have been diagnosed with cancer through their cancer support group. She says their biggest achievement as a cancer support group is when they had a cancer commemoration day which invited cancer survivors who shared their survival testimonies.
“It was quite an emotional event, and yet inspiring”, she highlights.

Lobatse is one of the outstanding young people who received a youth award this year for best youth promoting health and Well Being, and she has also been chosen for the 2017 Queen’s Young Leaders Award which she will receive in the United Kingdom.There is no doubt this young lady is a community builder, and she confesses that she is inspired by women who progress in life, has vision and have dedicated their lives to being Game Changers.
“Such women inspire me a lot, they motivate me to do more’’, she explains.

Lobatse underlines how she faces a lot of challenges in her life but she does not let them get her down.

“I see challenges as a stepping stone to greater things. That is how I am able to overcome challenges because I do not see them as negative things trying to pull me done”, she proudly pronounces.

                                                    

                                                     Ms Chaikhwa Lobatse during one of their cancer campaigns

Lobatse says their aim as a cancer support group is to raise cancer awareness in Serowe and surrounding areas, but because of financial challenges that they face they cannot cover the surrounding areas, but that does not stop them from fulfilling their mission since they always make donations themselves to sponsor their events.

She further highlights that since her cancer diagnosis, she has had more opportunities in her life than before.
“It was a very big challenge for me, but it opened a lot of doors for me”, she says.

Chaikhwa utters that the Ministry of Health is really trying a lot to raise awareness on cancer as the Ministry’s priority is tackling the most common cancers in Botswana which are breast cancer and cervical cancer, but as individuals we need to do more to help in this fight.
“I urge Batswana to get informed about cancer, and not see cancer as a death sentence. Let Non- Government Organizations, individuals collaborate and raise awareness on cancer, and for Organizations to sponsor campaigns that are cancer related”, she suggests.

Facts about Chaikhwa (what she says)

Chaikhwa’s bucket list

*To get married and have my own family

*Get a Masters Degree in Oncology Nursing by 30years

*Own a nursing home and establish an organization that empowers the girl child and people living with disabilities.

Three People who inspire Chaikhwa

*My mother-She is a strong woman

*Dorcus Makgato- She is a hard worker, and always manages to turn the negative into a positive.

*Everyone who balances family with work-These people know that family needs them more than their daily jobs.

Chaikhwa’s best childhood memory

*When I passed my PSLE with an A and my late brother gave me P50.00 and a goat.