Model and fashion designer, Aisha DeBeer, has penned a letter to cancer patients. Aisha is the head designer of Aiish Inspired Clothing and the brains behind Fashion Designers Expo (FDE) Zimbabwe and #FashionFightsCancer, an initiative that raises funds for cancer patients in Bulawayo. This fashion mogul pours her heart out in an inspirational letter shown below:

Hey guys,

I write this to you today, purely from my heart. I wish I could make it easy by saying, ‘everything will be ok, be strong, chin up, keep going’ but I know even if I say these things a 1000 times it will not get easier, only you know how you feel inside each and every day. The pains, the nausea, the itchy skin, the treatments, the moods…You are human…You are allowed to be sad BUT trust yourself in such a way that your inner voice becomes your best friend.

My grandmother passed away from cancer 10 years ago…I was very young but I was old enough to remember her before and during. We were very close, I used to help her clean up after supper, and after her bath she would go and play solitaire on her bed every night and we used to chat.

At first she had lung cancer, she was treated and she healed. But as time passed we noticed how she started forgetting some words. In a short space of time we found out that she had brain cancer. Since she had fought and won before everyone was hopeful that she would win the battle again! Unfortunately not this time…she dearly departed.

10 years down the line, with my passion, my own kind of heart break, I have decided to make a difference. This is the driving force that I have behind my Fashion Fights Cancer events. I had written a little note for my grandmother hoping to read it and let her know that we loved her but it was too little too late. Today it is what I am sharing with you hoping it is still early to inspire you.

All I can say with the same love that I had for my grandmother is, ‘Life is short, we are all going to die, our time on this planet is valuable in its own way’. I say ‘let’s make it count, put a smile on your face and most importantly in your heart’. Know that there are people that love you and want to see you happy. Let us fight, brace the sickness, and push through the dark days with prayer.

Believe that you are healthy, and be like, ‘I just have to get over a very bad flu’. Listen to music; feed your soul, allow yourself to fill up with positivity. Watch movies, don’t shut the world out.  Use the world to encourage yourself that you can do this.

As you lay in bed at night know that you are the best thing that has ever happened to your family, friends, colleagues and the whole world. When you wake up in the morning, I want you to feel that you are going to make today better than yesterday, you are going to fight harder.

You are never alone; with prayers I wish you only the best!

Lots of love,

Aisha DeBeer

Not many local celebrities have been sharing their own experience with cancer and other health scares. Hopefully Aisha’s letter will help to encourage cancer patients to fight the disease and increase awareness so that more people get tested and receive regular check-ups.

Get paid to write app reviews