A Pietermaritzburg woman is preparing for a solo walk to Johannesburg next month in an effort to raise awareness about fibroids and gender-based violence (GBV).
Thandeka Sibiya says the journey aims to highlight the challenges faced by women living with fibroids non-cancerous growths that develop in or on the uterus and can cause severe pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, and other health complications.
Sibiya has appealed to men to show their support during her walk, urging them to ensure her safety rather than pose any threat.
“Fibroids may not always be life-threatening, but they come with serious challenges that we need to talk about long before women are advised to remove their uteruses,” she said. “I’ll be walking alone for most of the journey, and I’m pleading with men: if you see me on the road, support me don’t harm me.”
Her initiative follows a similar campaign last month by Limpopo activist Joyce Netshitenzhe, who completed a 520km run from Pretoria to Thohoyandou to raise awareness about GBV.