Riaana Robberts wrote her final exams going through chemotherapy after being diagnosed with aggressive stage-three breast cancer.

Riaana Robberts recently completed a Diploma in National Safety Management at Unisa. The journey to this achievement was, however, filled with hurdles and difficult decisions owing to a health scare. Explaining the ordeal, she says: "I found out last year in October that I have stage-three aggressive breast cancer." The untimely news found her in her final year of study and during exams. Unfortunately, of the three modules she was writing, she failed two. Though extremely sick at the time, not all hope was lost as an opportunity to rewrite the exams in January 2022 was available.

Ailing but determined more than ever to seize the rewriting opportunity, Robberts explains that she often found herself in despair because she did not see how she was going to be able to be in a state to prepare for and write the exam. Amid her desire to pull up the courage for exams, she also urgently had to start chemotherapy treatment in November. Hoping to feel a slight difference by the time her exam started, just when she was getting ready, it was prescribed that she had to start red chemotherapy, popularly known as the "red devil" in January. The red devil is an intravenous cancer medicine with a clear, bright red colour, which is how it got its nickname. The drug is also infamous for causing harsh side effects such as heart toxicity (heart failure), severe nausea and vomiting, and total hair loss (alopecia).

Holding onto hope and her faith, Robberts explains: "At first, I wanted to inform Unisa that I couldn’t write my exam because of the cancer treatment. Before I could, however, I asked the Lord what I should do because I was so close to finishing my diploma and if I could not write the exam, I would have to wait another year before I could write the exam again." Robberts also explains that at the time she was distressed and undecisive because she did not know what the future held. She says: "I eventually decided that no matter what happens, I was going to finish what I started." Exam dates were set and just as Robberts was getting set, the university released new dates. It would turn out that the new dates conflicted with her chemotherapy dates. Yet another obstacle, but she explains: "I did not let it get me down."

She adds: "I remember my husband telling me not to exhaust myself and encouraging me to consider taking up another opportunity in future to rewrite as my health had to take priority." Nothing, however, was going to stand in her way, not even cancer. "I refused to let cancer win. It had already changed my whole life and I was not going to let it stop me from getting my diploma. I worked too hard in the three years leading up to my final exams to give up without giving it my all," Robberts says. The adage that not all heroines wear capes was proved true as she had chemotherapy on a Wednesday and had to write an exam the next day. Fatigued and nauseous, Robberts explains that the three-hour paper she had to write felt like an eternity, "but the Lord gave me strength to endure and enabled me to do it. My kids also gave me the motivation to push through even though I sometimes felt like I couldn’t take it anymore," she says.

"Stay courageous and you will reap the rewards."

Robberts explains that she wants the story of her endurance to teach her children a lesson that no matter what they go through in life, with God’s grace, they can do anything in life. "I must also mention that my study mentor, Lizzy Booi, was a great inspiration and our study group’s number one cheerleader. She has been amazing, and I feel that she deserves a medal for the hard work she does. In fact, I think that every student needs a Lizzy in their study career," Robberts says.

The journey to finally completing Robberts' studies has been difficult to say the least, yet, with every obstacle and frail health, nothing would stop her from achieving her goal. Sharing her sentiments, she says: "Given the challenges I have endured to get my qualification, I am proud to be a Unisa graduate." Asked how she would advise other people going through difficulties, especially in the process of trying to achieve their goals, she says: "My advice to both young and old is that you should do what your heart desires no matter what life throws your way. Though it may be difficult, through God’s grace, you can do it. Stay courageous and you will reap the rewards."

"I leave you with this quote," says Robberts: "Life is not easy. Life is also not about waiting for the storm to pass but about learning how to dance in the rain."

* By Tshimangadzo Mphaphuli, Senior Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement