The Sunday Mail
News that Pretty Xaba, popularly known for her role as Mai Muwengwa on Studio 263, has cancer of the oesophagus, naturally sent shivers down most people’s spines.
The disease cut short the life of reggae legend Bob Marley, took away Apple Inc co-founder Steve Jobs at his prime, and robbed movie lovers of “Spartacus” star Andy Whitfield.
Locally, cancer is despondently associated with taking the life of sungura great Tongai “Dhewa” Moyo and renowned actor Walter Muparutsa, among many others.
There are many among us whose friends and relatives have died or are living with a cancer.
Treatment requires a truckload of money for surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Cancer is never easy.
Last week, The Sunday Mail Leisure paid Pretty a visit at her relatives’ house in the capital, where she is being nursed. The usually bubbly mother of two was visibly in pain as she forced a smile to welcome her visitors.
She lives on porridge, juice and water as her recent surgery does not allow her to take solids.
“I had to have an operation done because I could not keep anything down after eating. I had become bedridden and if it had not been done, maybe I would not even be here now. So the doctors bypassed the growth by putting a tube in my stomach, which now handles the food but I still can’t eat any solid food,” narrated Pretty.
The doctors told her that if the cancer did not spread, she could live the rest of her life with the tube.
Now Pretty needs to go to either South Africa or India to have the growth removed.
“Local doctors say the operation can be done locally but is very risky as the growth is in close proximity with major sensitive organs and arteries. They require specialised equipment and personnel that has experience in those kinds of medical procedures,” she explained.
“My daughter Hope, who is studying in Dubai (UAE), has been making these enquiries and she tells me that she will let me know as soon as she has all the details. Local doctors on the other hand have asked me not to stay at home indefinitely as they want me to get started on any one of the treatments on offer,” she said.
She is yet to determine the costs.
Doctors have told her that radiotherapy, for instance, could puncture her heart or other treatment could result in ruptured blood vessels.
“It’s all very risky but I cannot stay at home forever. I need to either go to India, South Africa or try the risky local surgical processes or treatments. I have to do something and I have to do it soon,” she said.
Most cancer patients are diagnosed late — as was the case with Pretty.
The 45-year-old says for five years she lived with the pain but thought it was just an ulcer.
“And when I went to a local clinic in May this year when I really got sick, they gave me some tablets and asked me not to eat certain foods. When I returned to the same clinic telling them that the medication they had prescribed me had brought no joy, they referred me to Harare Hospital,” she said.
At Harare Hospital, Pretty was told that the medication she was already taking was the strongest they could prescribe and asked her to finish the course.
“I finished the course but my health was still deteriorating. By then I could not even swallow food, I could only drink water. Some people at the place where I lived then realised that I was getting worse and that is when they called a relative of mine who live in Mutare,” she said.
It was in Mutare that Pretty was told she had cancer and she urgently needed an operation to bypass the growth.
She has no medical aid, she is not earning any income, and for all she relies on her relatives, whom she says have been very supportive.
Through it all, she is hopeful family, friends and well-wishers will help her raise the money she needs for treatment in South Africa or India.
“I have worked with a lot of people in my decades-long acting career. There must be someone out there who can help me get my life back on track so that I can continue fending for my family,” she said.
Besides starring in television productions like “Studio 263”, “Coliwe”, “Murambiwa” and “Something Nice from London”, Pretty has worked with Tsitsi Dangarembga on the film “Wedding Dress”.
She has also done voice-overs and radio adverts for such companies such as Econet, OK Zimbabwe and CBZ Bank, to name just a few.
She also did a number of theatre productions, with the most memorable arguably being the Rooftop Production titled “Wedding Night”.
