Vera Nagtegaal: Beating triple-negative breast cancer against all odds
Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp spoke to CEO and breast cancer survivor Vera Nagtegaal about how she overcame one of the biggest obstacles in her life to spread hope and advice during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
When Vera Nagtegaal ran her first fun run at 16, she had no idea cancer would one day become her fiercest opponent.
Three decades later, after eight Comrades Marathons, the 47-year-old mom of two and CEO of Vouch faced the race of her life: breast cancer.
Her partner, artist Jeanine Henning, called it the "Vera Cancerades Marathon."
Vera has powered through eight rounds of chemotherapy, logged 804 km on her treadmill, and managed to exercise on 130 of 153 days since her diagnosis.
"It's like an adventure every time you're out on the road, and I never stopped running after that. I did my first Comrades at 20, and I just love the challenge and the fact that your mindset is everything, just like with cancer."
The diagnosis came as a complete shock.
"Cancer was the biggest shock of my life… "
Her breast cancer was triple-negative, aggressive and unresponsive to hormone treatment.
"The doctor told me: 'If you leave it, you won't see your 50th birthday.'"
Chemotherapy brought the side effects she feared most.
"Ten days after my first chemo, my hair started to fall out, and I lost everything. You immediately wonder, "What am I going to look like?"
But through the uncertainty, she kept her discipline.
"Every morning, I got up early and went down to walk or run if I could, and every morning I did yoga. Honestly, all credit to my medical team, but it's about the work you do on yourself."
In the middle of treatment, Vera also became CEO of Vouch, a new financial-advice platform.
"It was a very big curveball, but the board was extremely supportive. My diagnosis made me realise how important financial advice is, to make sure you have the right cover in place."
Her toughest hill, she says, was the double mastectomy and reconstruction in August.
"Our breasts are a big part of our femininity and our identity, but I realised I could either be sad about what I'd lost or be grateful for what I'd gained. My new breasts give me a new chance at life."
Vera compares each chemo session to another stretch of the Comrades.
"Keep moving. Focus on today."
Five days after surgery, her doctor phoned with the best possible news.
"They sent my breast tissue away, and all the results were clear. It's a complete healing."
Now, she carries a small tattoo of a mountain topped by the sun, inspired by a line from Celine Dion's 'Love Again'.
"'Cause you don't have to move a mountain, just keep moving.' That really was a motto for me through this illness."
Listen to Vera's inspiring interview with Elana at the top of the page, or directly below.
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Image: Jacaranda FM