Published by the government of Zimbabwe
12 January 2008
Harare — Sungura musician Tongai Moyo, whose health has been deteriorating over the past few months, has finally broken his silence and revealed that he is suffering from a cancer called Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.
In an exclusive interview with our Bulawayo Bureau last weekend, Moyo said he felt it was time the country knew about what had "eaten" him.
"A lot of people know that I had been ill but they did not know what it was.
"The truth is that I was diagnosed of a cancer called Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in November and the doctor indicated the disease had spread to most parts of my chest, affecting my breathing.
"He was open and said if I had delayed treatment I could have suffered from a stroke or even worse," he said.
Moyo said he started feeling the pain in May last year but was not sure of the cause. "Every time I performed I felt dizzy and sometimes I would feel like I would drop anytime," said Moyo, describing how his body started feeling the pinch of the cancer.
And he was to get the shock of his life when he was diagnosed in November.
"The doctor indicated that the largest tumour that was between the heart and the lungs had grown to about six centimetres. "He said there were two other tumours -- one four centimetres and the other 3,2 centimetres -- that were scattered in my chest.
"These were the tumours that resulted in the compression of my breathing, making it difficult," he said.
The doctors, said Moyo, explained that being exposed to too much smoking caused the cancer.
"They explained that the cancer is caused by exposure to smoking. I think I got affected in the bars and nightclubs where I perform.
"They explained that the disease was more prevalent among passive smokers," added Moyo, who is a non-smoker. However, he was relieved after the doctors indicated that the cancer could be cured.
He then started undergoing chemotherapy in December. "Since December I had been undergoing chemotherapy and I am getting doses after every 28 days. The chemotherapy is very painful and that has partially contributed to my loss of weight.
"It affects the whole body and even my hair can just peel off.
"That is why I am now performing with a cap and I am no longer dancing," he said, showing his head and easily plucking off a tuft of his hair.
While many people know the talented musician for his neat hair cut, he now has a partially bald head. "It is only that I did not have enough time to see a barber when I returned from the UK, but I could have been nicely shaved," he said. In December Moyo could hardly perform for more than an hour although he has since improved.
"There has been a remarkable improvement in my health since I started treatment. "Before the tour to UK, I performed my last show at Club Lashers in Harare for an hour and it was difficult for me to continue on stage. "In the UK I played for two hours and tonight (last weekend) I have gone for three hours non-stop and that shows my health is improving," he said. But why is he straining his body when he is suffering from this potentially lethal disease?
"Doctors urged me not to over-rest as that could cause health complications. What I am doing is part of exercising to keep my body fit."
He said his backing outfit Utakataka Express was on a month-long breather and he would keep himself busy with rehearsals to avoid becoming too relaxed.
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