In Zimbabwe, this commemoration is not only about raising awareness of oncology but also about highlighting the vital intersection between cancer treatment and fertility preservation.
For many women, the journey through cancer is not only about survival but also about safeguarding the possibility of future parenthood.
Fertility preservation has become an increasingly important part of holistic care, offering hope to women who face treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy that may compromise reproductive health.
Options such as egg freezing, embryo freezing, sperm banking and advanced In‑Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) procedures are now available in Zimbabwe. These services ensure that women and men navigating medical challenges can preserve their chance of building families when the time is right.
Beyond oncology, fertility preservation is a vital strategy to safeguard gametes in women and men who have not yet started families and are at risk of losing their ovarian follicles or sperm cells entirely.
It encompasses cases such as cancer including breast cancer, sarcomas and gynaecological cancers such as cervical and endometrial, which are treated with gonadotoxic drugs that include chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
It also addresses genetic disorders such as Turner’s syndrome that lead to early menopause, gynaecological conditions such as endometriosis and adenomyosis that diminish ovarian reserve, as well as delayed childbearing or social freezing.
Additionally, it includes occupational or environmental exposures to high levels of radiation and toxic chemicals and men who have undergone vasectomy but wish to preserve their fertility.
Fertility specialist, Dr Tinovimba Mhlanga from IVF Zimbabwe, emphasised the significance of linking oncology and reproductive medicine during this awareness month.
“Cancer treatment is often urgent, but it should not erase the dreams of parenthood. Fertility preservation allows us to tell women that their journey matters; that even in the face of illness, their future stories of motherhood remain possible.”
Egg freezing, for example, enables women to store unfertilised eggs before undergoing treatment, while embryo freezing provides couples with multiple opportunities for pregnancy from a single IVF cycle.
Sperm banking offers men the chance to secure reproductive options before medical interventions or extended travel. IVF and ICSI remain central to these efforts, combining science and compassion to ensure that families can be built despite medical obstacles.
Dr Tinovimba Mhlanga reflected on the emotional dimension of these services.
“Every patient who walks through our doors carries a unique story. Some are young women diagnosed with breast cancer, fearful that treatment will close the door to motherhood. Others are couples who have faced years of infertility.
“Through offering fertility preservation, we are not only providing medical solutions but are affirming that their journeys matter and their hopes deserve to be protected.”
The availability of these methods in Zimbabwe underscores progress in reproductive health, though access remains concentrated in private clinics. Nevertheless, the growing awareness of fertility preservation reflects a broader commitment to holistic care, where oncology and reproductive medicine work hand in hand.
This integration dismantles stigma, restores dignity and ensures that women’s health is seen in its full complexity.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is therefore not only about early detection and treatment but also about recognising the broader impact of cancer on women’s lives. It is about ensuring that survivors can look beyond illness to futures filled with laughter, family and joy.
“Science gives us the tools, but compassion gives us the purpose. On this Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we celebrate every woman’s unique journey and affirm that her story and her dream of motherhood matters,” Dr Tinovimba Mhlanga added.
Post published in: Featured