There isn’t a great deal Santana Campobasso can tell you about her cancer, except that she has survived.  That’s because she was four years old when diagnosed with nasal polyps that resulted in the discovery of a brain tumor and a diagnosis of brain cancer.  Doctors also found meningitis.  Santana underwent an eight-hour surgical procedure and was told half of her head had to be shaved before the surgery.

 

After treatment, life was not easy. The surgeon said her chances of survival were low. She was also told it would be difficult to walk and difficult to speak, and on both fronts she had to start from scratch. Initially confined to a wheelchair, in school, she failed to pass first grade and was taunted by her classmates.

 

In retrospect, Santana says overcoming numerous physical hurdles and her often-mean classmates was a blessing as it has provided her with a level of toughness that went on to serve her well.

 

These days, in every way, Santana is flourishing.  Not only can she talk, but in addition to English, she has learned how to speak Afrikaans.  Not only can she walk, but in addition to being a successful hairdresser, Santana is a belly dancer!

 

By way of advice, Santana Campobasso says if you are diagnosed with cancer to keep fighting, that a cancer diagnosis isn’t a death sentence, it is just a new chapter.

 

Additional Resources:

 

Support Group:

 

Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA)   https//www.cansa.org.za