Cancer-free Abigail launches book
Readers can expect a number of strengths that courses through all the chapters of this memoir.
ASPEN Hills businesswoman, entrepreneur, philanthropist, wife, mother and grandmother, Abigail Runganaikulu (50), held the official launch of her book on Wednesday, June 22 at the Mall of the South. Abigail, who battled to have children after her first-born, Ryan (28) due to endometriosis, launched her autobiography called ‘My stupid brain was cut off with my right breast’ at the Mugg and Bean at the Mall of the South and saw a successful turnout of people. She is no stranger to the RECORD as she has featured on numerous occasions to share her story as a cancer survivor. Read: There’s life after cancer
Abigail said that in the book you will discover how you have the authority to make the right choices that will enable you to take back the power in your own life and affect your entire life and future.
The book combines a personal candour and honesty with a disarming humour that provides much needed contrasts and distinctions to events no matter how emotionally dark they appear, with a captivating energy that will filter through to the reader on multiple levels.
The book and its chapters are focused on the chronological decades following the life and pursuits of an inexperienced Abigail who has no idea what she wants to do with her life and who is just starting to notice the boys and sees her transforming into a young professional woman marrying the love of her life (she got married to Colin at the age of 20 and they since had a business together which is 24 years old).
The content deepens with her realisation of cancer, dealing with both the internal and external hardships she faced, yet embracing the hope that all the good and the bad is part of life and that is what made her who she is today.
“This life-altering mastectomy led to a rude awakening which has taught me to slow down, ignore ‘The Stupid Brain,’ and listen to the ‘Still, Small Voice’ inside. I called this book; ‘My stupid brain was cut off with my right breast!’ because I discovered that I have had a great life irrespective of the difficulties that came with it. I should accept and own my accomplishments because they are God’s gift to my life for the choices I’ve made,” she said.
A bit of background on Abigail:
Abigail threw herself into their business for most of the time until she was 44 years old, and that was when she found out she was pregnant
“Imagine you are 44 and your son is at the brink of being married and here you are pregnant. I knew God was speaking to me and when He speaks you must listen,” said Abigail.
Her gynaecologist advised her to abort the baby because it was always risky to have a baby at that age but she ignored that thought. “No one would understand the worthiness I felt of having another child after a long time. I had a bouncy baby boy and named him Caleb,” she said.
“I remembered rubbing my breast feeling that lump. And that nagging feeling of the big ‘C’ just couldn’t let me go. When I went for a scan the doctor confirmed that I could have cancer, my sister had cancer at 34, I lost two aunts to breast cancer and my uncle was diagnosed with breast cancer,” she said.
Abigail, accompanied by her husband, went to do a biopsy and three days later it was confirmed that she had breast cancer. For Abigail this was the worst time of her life because she was not sure how far the cancer had gone and all she thought about was dying. “The moment was a bittersweet one because God had just given me a child and now I had cancer. I had so many questions; however, one thing I knew was that God is there to answer all my questions,” she said.
Chemotherapy was the next step for her, and she said it is a vicious treatment of the body. “I finished this treatment two years ago; however, I still have after-effects. It was the only way that they could save my life. Three people in my team made me believe I could beat this: my God, my doctor (Professor Carol Benn from Breast Health Foundation in Milpark) and my husband,” she said.
The final treatment after the chemo was to remove her breasts. She told the doctor she can do the full amputation or mastectomy of her breasts. She said her husband was standing beside her through all the treatments.
All proceeds from the book launch will be donated to the Breast and Health Foundation.
