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When treatment ends, but the journey continues

Today feels almost surreal. I just had my sixth and final Zometa infusion, a milestone I’ve imagined for so long. Yet now that it’s actually here, I’m surprised by the sudden rush of mixed emotions. There is enormous relief, of course. Having finished two years of Abemaciclib last June, this marks another major chapter of my breast cancer journey that I can finally put behind me. For years, my life revolved around blood tests, hospital visits, chemo wards, and endless scheduling. Now, the constant cycle of biweekly blood tests and treatment trips stops. That freedom feels amazing. Yet, finishing treatment brings an unexpected fear. Those appointments and medications were my safety net, proof that I was actively fighting to keep the cancer away. Even when exhausting, following the plan brought comfort. As that routine fades, the logical mind knows the medical team designed this path and that hormone therapy and monitoring continue, but cancer is as much mental as physical. The fear of r...

Lemon ricotta pasta

Some recipes are more than just something to cook and eat. They become little pieces of home, tied to a moment, a season, or someone we love. I hope this is one of those recipes for you. It’s simple, comforting, and bright, with creamy ricotta, fresh lemon, and plenty of Parmesan. The kind of meal you can make when you want something delicious without making a fuss. One day, when you make this for yourself, or for the people you love, I hope you remember that it started here, with me making it for you. And perhaps, years from now, the taste of lemon and ricotta will bring you back to our kitchen, to this time in our lives, and to all the love that went into the meals I made for you. Ingredients 450g pasta (spaghetti or bucatini work best) 250g whole-milk ricotta 50g freshly grated Pecorino or Parmesan 1 lemon, zested and juiced 30ml olive oil Salt, freshly ground black pepper and chilli flakes, to taste Fresh basil, to garnish Method 1. Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in a large pan of ...

The invisible side of cancer recovery

Two months after my final round of oral chemotherapy, I stood on my back patio staring at a completely flooded garden. Five hours earlier, I had turned on the sprinkler for what was supposed to be a "quick soak," only to walk away and forget it entirely. At first, I laughed. We all have absentminded moments. But then the slips began to stack up. I forgot my phone in the back of an Uber, left a bag of gifts I bought for my family at the boarding gate, and walked away from my wallet at a store checkout. The tipping point arrived late one night when the sharp smell of smoke hit me while I was sitting in the other room; I had left the oven on high heat, completely oblivious to it. That was the moment the jokes stopped being funny. These were no longer trivial slip-ups; I was making mistakes with serious, dangerous consequences, and I lived in constant dread of the next one. I felt perpetually one step behind my own life, plagued by a deep sense of shame. I started second-guessing...

Charred summer peaches with creamy burrata & fresh herbs

There’s something effortlessly beautiful about a dish that celebrates simple, seasonal ingredients. This recipe is one of my favourite summer combinations - juicy peaches warmed on the grill, creamy burrata, buttery avocado, and crunchy walnuts all brought together with fresh herbs and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It’s vibrant, elegant, and perfect for sharing, whether served as a light lunch, a dinner party starter, or a centrepiece for a relaxed summer table. Ingredients 4 large peaches, halved and pitted 3 balls of Burrata 1–2 ripe avocados, sliced 3–4 cups baby spinach or rocket (arugula) ½ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves (or substitute with fresh mint) 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt and ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper Edible flowers and crushed pistachios for a colourful, elegant finish (optional) Instructions 1. Grill the peaches Preheat your grill until hot. Place the peach hal...

Two years of Abemaciclib: Closing one chapter, continuing the journey

I’ve been trying to find the right words to describe what it feels like to reach this point, but some moments are almost impossible to put into words. Finishing Abemaciclib feels like closing a chapter that has challenged me in ways I never could have imagined. I still remember collecting that very first box. I remember the fear I felt after already facing months of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, wondering how my body would cope with another stage of treatment. I worried about the side effects, the uncertainty, and whether I would have the strength to keep going. The beginning was tough. The exhaustion was unlike anything I had experienced. Nausea, diarrhoea, and a constant stream of medications to manage the side effects became part of my everyday routine. There were days when I honestly wondered how I would continue, especially while trying to navigate everything else life was asking of me at the same time. But slowly, one month at a time, I adapted. I learned to unders...

Summer heirloom tomato salad with feta & basil

Every summer, I make my way down to the allotment to gather the ripest tomatoes, filling my basket with every colour and variety I can find. There is something truly special about cooking with produce we have grown ourselves; he tomatoes are sweeter, juicier, and somehow taste like summer itself. By the time I bring them home, your stepdad is usually outside getting the braai ready, and we begin preparing everything together for a relaxed summer evening. I love making this salad with you. It’s such a simple recipe, but over the years it has become part of our summer tradition, the kind of dish that belongs alongside a sizzling braai, good conversation, and time spent together around the table. I hope this becomes one of those recipes you carry with you wherever life takes you. One day, when you make this salad in your own home, I hope it brings back memories of those warm evenings with us: picking tomatoes from the allotment, cooking together in the kitchen, the smell of the braai drif...

The hidden logistics of living with cancer

I saw a post on Instagram the other day about the "hidden bits" of cancer. You know the ones, the parts that don’t make it into the glossy brochures or the curated "warrior" selfies. It stayed with me, mostly because I was reading it while lugging around my own "hidden bits" in the form of a large, stylish, and incredibly heavy tote bag. They say you can tell a lot about a woman by what’s in her purse. If that’s true, my bag isn’t telling a story of simple endurance. It’s telling a story of negotiation . I look at this bag with a mix of deep affection and pure exhaustion. It is a beautiful monster. And today, I’m tipping it out. First, we have the cancer kit. The Heavy Hitters: My daily chemo tablets and Letrozole (my hormone blocker). Followed by the backup dancers: My anti-sickness pills, anti-diarrhea meds, and prescribed calcium. It’s a lot of science for one person to carry, isn't it? The Drama Queen: My lymphoedema compression glove. My hand lik...