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PAINFUL GROWTH IS RUINING MY LIFE

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Mandla Mkhize was forced to quit work because of the growth on his back.
Mandla Mkhize was forced to quit work because of the growth on his back.

HE wanted to change his life through education.

But Mandla Mkhize’s dream was shattered when a growth grew on his back.

The 27-year-old from Chatsworth in Durban has lost hope.

“After completing my studies in 2015, I got a teaching job at a high school in Vryheid,” he said.

“Even though I was paid by the school and not employed by the department, I enjoyed contributing to pupils’ lives.”

He quit in June when the pain became unbearable.

“I’m now sitting at home with no hope of ever getting better,” he said.

“I’ve been to RK Khan Hospital and didn’t get the help I needed.

“Doctors did several X-rays to check if the growth was in my spinal cord but found this was not the case.

‘They promised it won’t endanger my health if I have surgery to have it removed.”

The problem started when he was a child and he noticed a small hole in his back.

“When I was taken to the hospital, doctors asked me if my mum drank alcohol while she was pregnant because the hole looked as if it was caused by foetal alcohol syndrome,” said Mandla.

In 2009, the hole turned into a growth but went away after a few years. It came back again in 2015.

Daily Sun sent questions to the health department on Sunday.

Follow-up calls and emails were sent between Monday and yesterday.

Spokeswoman Agiza Hlongwane said they were working on a reply.

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