Phentisilia Dollie – A plan and a purpose

For five months Phentisilia Dollie was unaware she was pregnant and underwent treatment for inflammatory breast cancer. She shares her miracle and why she chooses to trust.


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Phentisilia Dollie (30) lives in Ennerdale, Gauteng. She has two daughters, aged seven and five, with her partner.

Last year April, Phentisilia got a rash all over her body. “It looked like an allergic reaction. I went to a private GP and was given an ointment; it didn’t help. When I went for a check-up, she prescribed a topical steroid cream, which also didn’t help. Oral steroid tablets were prescribed but after two days, there was no change, so the GP suggested a skin scraping. But the skin was too flat. By this time, I noticed a small lump in my breast, so I informed the GP, she said I shouldn’t worry as it may be a side effect from the steroids,” Phentisilia explains.

A week later, Phentisilia’s right breast got larger in size, became darker in colour, with an orange peel texture, and her nipple inverted. 

She says, “I decided to go for an ultrasound; I was referred for an emergency mammogram. I was told there were many abnormalities in my right breast, so a biopsy was needed.”

Due to Phentisilia not having medical aid and the high cost of a biopsy, she asked to be referred to a public hospital. Another mammogram and a biopsy were done. Three weeks later Phentisilia was diagnosed with an aggressive Stage 3 inflammatory HER2 positive breast cancer.

Treatment

The very next day Phentisilia started eight cycles of chemotherapy over the next eight months. “By the time of the last cycle, I could feel the solid lump in my breast had gotten smaller but it was still painful. The oncologist explained surgery couldn’t be done as the tumour hadn’t shrunk enough and asked if I was able to pay for four extra cycles of a drug which cost R2 500 each (R10 000 in total) as the hospital didn’t cover this treatment. After a discussion with my family, we agreed. The prescription was written out and when we got to the pharmacy, it was for nine cycles of trastuzumab and the cost was R9 600 per cycle. I was very unhappy with this doctor and his miscommunication of the pricing. We didn’t get it.”

Breast specialist consultation

After another discussion with her family, Phentisilia consulted a private breast specialist in November 2023. “She examined my breast and said the surgery will be done within the month.”

It was explained that Phentisilia didn’t have medical aid; thankfully the breast specialist offers a pro bono service for certain breast cancer patients. Since Phentisilia requested a bilateral mastectomy, though the breast specialist suggested a breast reduction of the healthy breast, Phentisilia’s family paid R20 000 for the left breast reduction as it wasn’t breast cancer related. 

The breast specialist was true to her word and the surgery, including removal of two lymph nodes, was done that month.

“All the margins were clear and I was told 90% of the cells were dead so the concern was the remaining 10%, so she referred me back to the same public hospital saying I would need trastuzumab and since I had surgery, the public hospital would now cover the cost, as well as radiation.”

Trastuzumab treatment

In January 2024, Phentisilia consulted with the same oncologist, “I started eight cycles of trastuzumab immediately. When I asked about radiation, he said I mustn’t worry about that yet, that I must first get through the trastuzumab.” 

By the fifth cycle, Phentisilia informed the oncologist that she was gaining weight, her breasts were tender, and she hadn’t been menstruating, he justified it as side effects from the treatment.

Vomiting during CT scan

Two biopsies were done on both breasts as a follow-up (which she is still waiting for the results). In May, Phentisilia went for a CT scan to check her liver. 

“I was injected with the contrast and within a few minutes, I felt nauseous and waved at them to let them know I was going to vomit. I couldn’t hold it in and vomited all over myself,” she says.  

Pregnancy revealed

After cleaning Phentisilia up, the healthcare provider asked her to go back in for a quick scan without the contrast. 

“Afterwards she came in and said, ‘Miss Dollie, do you know you are pregnant?’ It didn’t even cross my mind as when I was first diagnosed, it was made clear to me that I wouldn’t be able to have any more children. I burst into tears. A sonar was done straight away to see if there was a heartbeat, and there was; I was five and a half months pregnant with a baby girl. More doctors were called; they were all saying this is a miracle as the treatment should have deformed or killed the foetus,” she explains. 

The soon-to-be mother admits she had many questions racing through her mind: is it safe to stop treatment now? What’s the next step? Is her baby really fine?

Phentisilia was referred to a gynae specialist at a public mother and child hospital. Various scans were done to ensure all the baby’s organ were developing and functioning. During a sonar, the gynae specialist asked when last she had a scan of her liver. Phentisilia explained that was the reason for the CT scan. 

New treatment plan

“Three weeks later, I was told that the cancer had spread to my lungs, spine, and liver and since the cancer is hormone related, the pregnancy is fuelling the cancer. My doctors (gynae and oncologist) had a virtual meeting to discuss a treatment plan. I was given the option to terminate the pregnancy and go on a drug trial. This couldn’t be done while I was pregnant so if the baby was delivered, the survival rate was low due to being premature. The second option was to keep the baby and go on safe conventional chemotherapy.” 

“I didn’t want to terminate as I didn’t want to sit with that guilt and I feel this child wants to live…if she has survived all the treatment. It was decided to start a new chemotherapy straight away at a lower dose, which is safe for baby. The only side effect is that baby might come earlier and will be smaller than usual, only by two weeks,” Phentisilia explains. 

Chemotherapy will stop three weeks before delivery and then a new treatment plan will commence three weeks after delivery. 

Phentisilia will also be given medication to dry up her milk once her baby is born. In the meantime, she says the discomfort in both of her breasts is severe.  

She continues to have weekly check-ups for baby.

Reality, emotions, and trust

Phentisilia recalls being extremely emotional on the day of the diagnosis as she is the first in her family to get cancer, and due to coldness of the first doctor. “Once she gave me the news, she walked out and left me in the room by myself. Eventually a counsellor came in and asked if I wanted to talk but I couldn’t as I was still numb,” she says.

The mother adds that her partner has always been supportive and took her to all her chemotherapy sessions.

Phentisilia admits that when she heard the cancer had spread, she was confused. “How can God perform a miracle with my baby and then boom…the cancer has spread. What is His plan? He surely has a plan and a purpose; I don’t want to go against His plan. There is a heartbeat. It would be a different story if there wasn’t a heartbeat.”

Being one of 12 siblings, and with more siblings from her father’s side, Phentisilia has much support from her family, and the plan is if radiation is needed, they will all contribute to get it done privately due to the long waiting list at the public hospital.

Photos by Mandy Steenkamp Photography | Follow @mandysteenkampphotography

Laurelle Williams is the editor at Word for Word Media. She graduated from AFDA with a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree 
in Live Performance. She has a love for storytelling and sharing emotions through the power of words. 
editor@buddiesforlife.co.za

MEET OUR EDITOR – Laurelle Williams

Laurelle Williams is the editor at Word for Word Media. She graduated from AFDA with a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Live Performance. She has a love for storytelling and sharing emotions through the power of words.
[email protected]