A South African TikTokker has gained a huge following after inviting fans on her journey as she battles breast cancer and undergoes chemotherapy.
Sharney Blackway, 28, told her followers that she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer on 16 January.
It is a particularly aggressive form of cancer and she has since undergone two rounds of chemotherapy with 14 sessions more to go.
“The side-effects are the worst, it’s nausea to a point where you can’t explain it, the stomach cramps, headaches and body aches and shortness of breath. I can’t eat spicy food and live off bland food and water,” she says.
Sharney says it all started with a lump in her breast.
“It was very painful but I wasn’t stressed, it was more about finding a relief for the pain.
@sharneyblackway Replying to @V.O.CBrotha #sharneyblackway #ketosharney #fightingcancerwithsharney #chemo #chemosideeffects #breastcancerawareness💕 #hairloss #fightingbreastcancerwithsharney ♬ original sound - Sharney Blackway
“I went for mammograms and biopsy and was told it would go away. But it didn't and after months, I got a surgeon and they did another biopsy. I was misdiagnosed three times.”
“Cancer is in my family, according to my family tree, I will be the first one to survive cancer.
@sharneyblackway Wig paid partnerships still welcome tag your fav wig suppliers🫂 Thank you for all the Love and to all my new followers welcome to this crazy account promise to make it worth your while… Let us kick cancers butt… God bless #sharneyblackway #ketosharney #breastcancerawareness💕 #fightingcancerwithsharney #chemo #chemosideeffects #fightingbreastcancerwithsharney #hairloss #wiginstall #wiginstalltutorial #lacewiginstall ♬ original sound - Sharney Blackway
“I decided to share my journey because I feel like there is someone out there who can give me more information that will help me and I want to raise awareness so that they don’t struggle like me to be heard because doctors said I was too young to have cancer.”
Sharrney is married with a three-year-old daughter and says she is now considering getting a double mastectomy to prevent the cancer from coming back.
“The hardest part wasn’t losing my hair, it was my mental health because my hair is gonna grow back but the trauma of having cancer and going through everything including the pain is gonna stay with me for the rest of my life.”
@sharneyblackway Replying to @Africa Siphephelo Chemo kicking my butt🙏 still pushing though🫂 #sharneyblackway #ketosharney #breastcancerawareness💕 #fightingcancerwithsharney #chemo #chemosideeffects #fightingbreastcancerwithsharney #chemodayinthelife ♬ original sound - Sharney Blackway