Just like that, Sam Ramsey’s life changed when she felt that lump in her left breast.
It was December 2020, she was 45 and in fabulous health.
She had been on a personal wellness quest and had shed 20kg. Her life felt on track.
Then came the diagnosis: stage three breast cancer, later even stage four.
“It was right before Christmas. Everything came to a standstill. I thought I was doing everything right. That diagnosis was a huge shock,” she told Go!
Tripling down was the blow of Covid-19 and lockdown.
Hospital treatment trips were endured in isolation.
Her family’s income was severely strained.
“It was an incredibly lonely time. That’s when I realised, if I was feeling this way, so many others must be too.”
The pain of loneliness had sparked her mind to try find hope.
She started connecting with others, and from that moment her struggles became a collective movement of women.
At first it was six women swapping stories in the chemo ward, which went to become The Cancer Connection, a network of more than 100 people across the city.
This is where women suffering from cancer share their experiences and find emotional support.
They are practically guiding each other as they take one day at a time.
Sam said: “Cancer changes everything. But together, we remind each other that no one has to face this fight alone.”
Sam is now a vocal advocate for early detection.
She stresses the lifesaving importance of mammograms: “At stage one, patients have a good chance of being okay. At stage three, the spread means harsher treatment and a different outlook. That’s why mammograms matter so much.”
The Cancer Connection has spearheaded projects that restore dignity and bring real change, she says.
Every six weeks, her team runs the East London branch of Project Flamingo, preparing women at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital for mastectomies.
Volunteers visit patients, explain what lies ahead, and offer recovery packs, small gestures that ease an overwhelming process.
Another beloved initiative is the “Foobies Project,” which provides hand-knitted prosthetic breasts, or “knitted knockers,” to women after mastectomies.
Made possible through a partnership with Saprotex wool mill, these lightweight, soft prosthetics bring comfort and confidence. “They may seem like small gestures, but they give women back something cancer tried to take away,” she said.
Sam’s anchors are her husband, Reg, and daughter, Annie.
“They’ve been incredible,” she said. “This journey is not just yours; it affects the whole family.”
Their unwavering love has allowed her to focus on helping others, even as she continues her own treatments.
But Sam’s story is personal and political. It shines a stark light on SA’s healthcare system.
“Cancer doesn’t even feature in the country’s top 10 causes of death because the statistics aren’t properly recorded. That means less care, chemo running out, broken radiation machines, and too few oncologists.
“I can’t even get treatment in East London, I have to travel to Gqeberha,” she said
For Sam, awareness campaigns need to go further. “We can walk in pink T-shirts every October, but unless we fix prevention, treatment, and aftercare, we’re not tackling the real issues.”
One of the women touched by The Cancer Connection is Grace Ann Gates. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2024.
“The week after my first chemo, Sam invited me to a wellness day. It was my first experience of being with women walking the same path, and it was such a support.”
Inspired by Sam’s generosity, Grace became a volunteer. She even taught herself to knit foobies using YouTube tutorials.
“After some trial and error, I’m now a fully-fledged foobie knitter,” she said.
She reaches out to other women saying: “It will be a tough ride, but it’s doable. Nourish your body, lean on others, and know that you can fight this fight.”
The hardest part is saying goodbye, when group members pass on.
Yet she calls the work a privilege. “It’s about walking alongside people through their fears, showing them it’s doable, and making sure they never feel alone.”
In a world where cancer so often brings despair, Sam Ramsey is proving that courage, compassion, and connection can turn even the darkest journey into one of light and purpose.
Iloveboobies.co.za invites local women to a secret swim at 8am on October 11. The income from the R200 per ticket bought on the website goes directly to paying for women to get mammograms.
Sam will give the participant women a brief talk at the secret beach, a picture of their naked or not-naked backs will be taken, and they have a splash in the sea.
Call Gail on 084-549-0224 or Amy on 072-244-2241. Visit https://www.iloveboobies.co.za
/products/secret-swim-2025-choose-your-location
