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MphoMbhele – Founder and Director, IsiphoSolwazi Foundation NPC

My name is MphoMbhele, and I am a Radiation Therapist, educator, community health advocate, and the Founder and Director of the IsiphoSolwazi Foundation NPC, based in Mpolweni Mission, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is both an honour and a privilege to dedicate my life to improving the lives of people affected by cancer through treatment, education, and community outreach.

As a Radiation Therapist at a public tertiary hospital, I have spent many years caring for cancer patients. While my role is to deliver radiation therapy, my daily interactions with patients have shown me that cancer is more than a medical condition—it affects families, livelihoods, and entire communities. I have witnessed the courage of patients fighting this disease, but I have also seen the devastating consequences of late diagnosis, often caused by fear, stigma, myths, and a lack of knowledge.

Many of the patients I encountered came from rural communities where cancer was misunderstood. Some believed it was caused by witchcraft, while others thought it was a disease that affected only certain races. These misconceptions often delayed diagnosis and treatment, reducing the chances of successful outcomes. I realised that if we could educate communities and replace fear with knowledge, we could save lives.

This realisation inspired me to step beyond the hospital walls and into communities. I began visiting churches, schools, community halls, and rural villages to educate people about cancer prevention, early detection, screening, treatment, and healthy lifestyles. My goal has always been to translate complex medical information into simple, practical knowledge that people can understand and apply in their daily lives.

My passion for education also led me to become a lecturer at the Durban University of Technology, where I had the opportunity to mentor and prepare future Radiation Therapists. I believe that healthcare professionals have a responsibility not only to treat illness but also to educate, empower, and inspire the communities they serve.

Driven by this vision, I founded the IsiphoSolwazi Foundation NPC. The name IsiphoSolwazi, meaning “The Gift of Knowledge,” reflects our belief that knowledge is one of the most powerful tools in healthcare. Through the Foundation, we conduct cancer awareness campaigns, survivor advocacy programmes, health education workshops, healthcare career guidance, and outreach initiatives throughout rural communities. We work alongside cancer survivors, community leaders, churches, healthcare professionals, and volunteers to create safe spaces where people can ask questions, overcome fear, and gain life-saving information.

I have also been privileged to share this message through radio interviews, church conferences, Mother’s Day celebrations, book launches, and many other community events. Every platform gives me another opportunity to encourage early detection, inspire hope, and remind people that knowledge truly saves lives.

Receiving international recognition through Queen Book Powered by Queen Times in collaboration with the United Research Council (URC) is one of the greatest honours of my career. I accept this recognition with deep gratitude and humility. To me, this award is not only a personal achievement but also a tribute to every cancer patient, survivor, healthcare professional, volunteer, and community member who believes that education has the power to transform lives. It strengthens my commitment to expanding the work of the IsiphoSolwazi Foundation and reaching even more communities with life-saving knowledge.

I sincerely thank Queen Book Powered by Queen Times and the United Research Council (URC) for this prestigious international recognition and for providing a global platform to share my journey and the work of the IsiphoSolwazi Foundation. I hope this recognition inspires greater collaboration in the fight against cancer and encourages others to use their knowledge, compassion, and leadership to make a meaningful difference in their communities.

I remain committed to my mission of replacing fear with knowledge, promoting hope through education, and ensuring that every person has access to accurate information about cancer. I firmly believe that knowledge is power, and cancer can be cured if detected early.

AsibeImbumbaSilwiseUmdlavuza.

Together, Let Us Unite to Fight Cancer.