In 2021, Vusi Mubika was spotted struggling to speak, his story touched so many and an entire community was formed to help him fight cancer – today he is back home and back to health!
South Africa (11 October 2023) – Over the past two and a half years, Vusimusi “Vusi” Mubika has gone from battling painful cancer in his mouth to being declared cancer-free and able to return home to his home country of Zimbabwe. This is the update we had so hoped to share the very first day we heard his story and today, we can!
Dominique Demetriades and Caitlin Aadnesgaard reached out to Good Things Guy in 2021, to share Vusimusi Mubika’s heartbreaking story. The young Zimbabwean man had faced so much pain and was in desperate need of support in fighting off his cancer.
The ladies launched a crowdfund to get him the medical help he needed and were finally able to get him the medical treatment he needed to fight.
Vusimusi, who goes by Vusi, had been suffering from cancer in his mouth that had gradually gotten worse. He was diagnosed with a very aggressive Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Skin cancer is not usually fatal and can be treated if found early enough. Left to its own devices, cancer can spread to other parts of the body and cause serious complications. When Vusi first noticed the little sore in his mouth, he sought out medical attention in Zimbabwe. He was prescribed everything from Panado to an anti-psychotic during the diagnosis period. Eventually, once he arrived in South Africa, he was correctly diagnosed with cancer.
Dominique and Caitlin launched a crowdfund to get him private treatment as it was clear Vusi had fallen through the cracks within the South African medical system too. After sharing his story, many people got involved to make a difference in his life and to try to put an end to his suffering.
Vusi got the radiation and chemo he needed, and while treatment was gruelling, he started to return to the happy young man he was before his illness took over his life. It wasn’t all easy, though; despite already being underweight from not being able to eat, Vusi lost around 30kg, and eight of his teeth had to be removed. Thankfully plans were in place to help complete his recovery.
The Facebook page where Dominique and Caitlin had been updating donors shared a message in June of this year (we missed it – oops) that was the update everyone had been waiting for!
“An update is long overdue! Vusi came back to SA to go through a series of tests as a follow-up after his treatments. Thank God- all is clear and he was given a clean bill of health. Apparently, he looks as healthy, youthful and full of life as any young man his age. God is so good and Clara is delighted to see her son thriving in Zimbabwe with his sisters.
Thank you all so much for being a part of Vusi’s journey. He needed you and you, although complete strangers, stepped up to the plate and gave him a chance of a life free from cancer … you are amazing! May God bless each one of you for the part you played in his healing!”
It is safe to say, this phase of Vusi’s life has a very happy ending indeed. Freshly 20, he is ready to take on the world!
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