Zoleka Mandela launches 'Terminally Free' series on YouTube
The two-time breast cancer survivor hopes to inspire women by sharing her experience.
Zoleka Mandela says she will be celebrating the wins of her cancer journey in her new YouTube series, 'Terminally Free'.
Th 42-year-old, who is the granddaughter of Winnie and Nelson Mandela, released a clip from the series on Wednesday, March 15.
The date has special meaning for her as it was the date she was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. She was re-diagnosed with Luminal Type B Breast Cancer in April 2016.
Zoleka overcame breast cancer twice, but in September 2022 she received some bad news. She was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer of the bones, liver, and lungs.
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The mother of six admitted that she was scared about what lies ahead, but continues to inspire people with her courage and resilient spirit.
"I celebrate the wins of my journey, that which many women (I believe) stand to gain from me intentionally sharing my life story, and never the losses … The loss of both my breasts or the years ahead of me, I thought I still had!" she wrote on Instagram.
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Zoleka talks candidly about the moment she first found out she had breast cancer. She explained that it happened after the birth of her son, Zenawe, who passed away two days after he was born prematurely in 2011.
"They gave me something to stop the production of milk, so when I felt a lump in my left breast for the first time, I just assumed that it had something to do with possibly the medication that they gave me," she says in her new series.
Zoleka adds that it wasn't until she felt a second lump that she went to get an MRI done.
"Eventually I was diagnosed by Dr. Carol Benn in 2012."
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Zoleka is currently receiving treatment for her metastatic cancer. She is "determined to maintain her will to live".
"Living #TerminallyFree is a reminder that within us all, lies a power to fight for continuance albeit terminal cancer. A reminder that with each day, is an opportunity to thrive, to remain positive, and grateful for life whilst finding alternative means to cope with all the emotions and side effects involved," a synopsis of the series reads.
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Main image credit: Instagram/@zolekamandela