Zerelda Swart

My name is Zerelda Amelia Swart, and I was born on 6 December 1993, a beautiful, happy little girl who brought endless joy to my family. At just three years old, I was diagnosed with significant hearing loss and underwent seven operations on my right ear.

After my final operation in August 2000, doctors discovered that I had Fanconi Anaemia, a rare and life-threatening genetic disorder. My bone marrow had stopped functioning, and without an urgent stem cell transplant, I would not survive.

In March 2001, my three-year-old sister, Zenika, was found to be a perfect donor match. I received a peripheral stem cell transplant at Constantiaberg Mediclinic in Cape Town, and that transplant gave me a second chance at life.

But my journey was far from over.

A year later, I suffered a brain embolism (stroke), which caused partial loss of vision in my right eye and left me with learning difficulties. I refused to give up. I attended a remedial school, worked incredibly hard and eventually completed Matric with top Honors in every subject.

My health remained fragile. Repeated pneumonia led to severe asthma, while Fanconi Anaemia permanently affected my hearing. I needed hearing aids, wigs and ongoing specialist care.

Through every challenge, I experienced what I believe was God's provision and grace. Somehow, through every battle, I was given the strength to keep going.

At 27, I met the love of my life. A year later, we got married. Doctors had warned me that the chemotherapy I received before my transplant would almost certainly leave me unable to have children. But against all expectations, I became pregnant. My beautiful son, Ayden, was born.

Shortly after his birth, Ayden underwent surgery for a narrowed aorta. Today, he is a happy and healthy five-year-old; one of the greatest blessings of my life.

Then, in 2025, I became pregnant again. Despite close monitoring throughout my pregnancy, the full extent of my baby's condition was not discovered before birth. In November 2025, my daughter Amelia was born prematurely at just 34 weeks by Caesarean section. Amelia was born with a rare and complex congenital condition called cloaca. From the moment she entered this world, our lives changed forever. She has already faced more medical challenges than any child should ever have to endure, and I became her greatest advocate.

Then came another devastating chapter. On 4 April 2026, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

Because of my Fanconi Anaemia, treating cancer is extremely complicated. My body cannot repair DNA damage normally, making standard chemotherapy and radiation particularly dangerous. Specialists initially recommended immunotherapy as the safest treatment option, but unfortunately, medical aid would not cover it. My medical team therefore had to develop another plan involving carefully adjusted oral chemotherapy and very low-dose radiation.

It was not the treatment anyone had hoped for. But it was the option available to me, and I was determined to fight.

I continued treatment with extraordinary courage, faith and hope. I am a wife. I am a mother. I am Amelia's greatest advocate. I am Ayden's safe place. And I have spent my entire life fighting to survive.

Today, I am fighting for something even greater; the chance to remain here for my two children. My story has never been about having an easy life. It has been about surviving the impossible. It has been about faith when I was afraid, strength when I felt weak, and hope when there seemed to be none.

I am still here. And I will keep fighting. For Ayden. For Amelia. For my husband. For my family. And for the life God has given me.