Ms Nomsa Tshingowe of Mulima Village was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 at the age of 23.
That was to be the turning point in her life, and today she is a cancer ambassador, helping people affected by this terrible disease.
The 27-year-old social worker, currently entering a master's degree in public health at the University of Limpopo, has founded an organization, called Cancer 0 Thirty 5 Organization.
This humble woman was diagnosed with Stage 3 osteosarcoma and underwent 18 cycles of chemotherapy and two surgeries. The latest was a total knee-replacement surgery in April 2015.
She said that she was now on hand for disadvantaged residents, mostly from rural areas.
"The goal of this initiative is to support childhood- and youth-cancer survivors, so that they can enjoy quality life, despite cancer, and provide support to their families. Once one family member is diagnosed with cancer, the whole family system gets disrupted and they need all kinds of support."
The Cancer 0 Thirty 5 Organisation introduced the first annual food drive to support affected families. "It's so frustrating not knowing where to get the next meal for your family, and being unable to work because you have to care for the child diagnosed with cancer at the hospital. We therefore came up with this drive as a solution," she said.
Tshingowe further indicated that their main target was those who came from the disadvantaged families, but indicated that, as a non-profit organisation, the success of the initiative relied on donations. "Our goal is to feed as many families as possible and the feedback from the people is positive. In just three days, we managed to raise more than 60 tins of fish and beans."
The food drive will officially be launched on 15 September in Polokwane.
For more information, phone Tshingowe at 072 435 8777 or reach her on Facebook at Tshingowe Nomsa or on Twitter @nomsatshingowe. The organisation's Facebook page is Cancer 0 Thirty 5 Awareness.