It all started when I was about 8 or 9 years old. I found a patch on my skin. I was young and didn’t know anything. It then grew to my knee and some of my fingers. I didn’t know what it was so I just ignored it because I thought I did something wrong and my mother would shout at me, you know how African parents were back then. One day I was sitting with my mom and my auntie were dealing with sweet potatoes. I was wearing a short skirt when my mom noticed a white patch on my finger and wondered what it was. I then showed her the patch on my knee and she then proceeded to look around my body and started asking questions. She had a friend who was a nurse in our community and sought her guidance. The nurse said it was something called vitiligo and that we need to go to the community hospital so my mom took me there.
The doctor checked me and confirmed the nurse’s diagnosis, he told me I needed to use a certain medication, it was a spirit-like substance I had to apply on my body for 15 minutes. When we went home. My mom wanted me to see a traditional healer as well. She said the vitiligo will heal quicker that way. The traditional healer asked her to buy sheep skin and a new blender. When we returned, she burned the sheepskin and mixed it with some other herbs to create a powder that resembled ashes.
She instructed my mom to take a blade, cut all my white patches, and mix the powder with my blood. She also told my mom to cleanse my colon with certain herbs. We did this about six times and the experience was excruciating each time.
My mother moved to South Africa in 2005. She would ask my cousin to send the medicine from Kinshasa to lumbuahsi where I was living at the time. I began to refuse because of the pain. I never want to go through that process again, the thought of cutting myself and seeing a combination of blood and ash on my body gave me the chills. We did our research and went to Tshwane Hospital. They gave me new medication that I used until I finished matric. My dad couldn’t rest, taking advice here and there from the people in the community. One day he came home and told me not to eat mangoes because the community said that it’s bad for my skin. He then proceeded to throw all the mangoes out of the house. One thing about me is I LOVE mangoes. There’s no way I’m giving those up! So, I told him it wasn’t possible and I’ll buy them on my way back from school.
When I finished matric, I started to work while balancing my tertiary education. I did research about my vitiligo when I could. I remember while walking down the streets of Arcadia, I came across a dermatologist. I found out they treat vitiligo, and the consultation was R700. I began to save every rand I could to get it. I finally achieved this and went back. The dermatologist told me that vitiligo doesn’t disappear fast and that I should just accept it. The dermatologist also explained that they don’t usually treat it and referred me to a place in Silverton. When I arrived, they told me that the phototherapy treatment was R4000 which I couldn’t afford at the time. So, I decided to use the cream it worked for a while, but the vitiligo kept coming and going.
I didn’t have much of social life as a young adult, people would hurl insults at me, and I felt alone but it didn’t have any psychological effect on me. My brother (19) has vitiligo as well, but he had way more knowledge and exposure, so he was more comfortable than I was.
I don’t remember much about my childhood with vitiligo in Congo, I left home at the age of 10 however when I went back home last year, I saw other people with it. On my way to the market, I met a woman with patches all over her body. Looking at her, I wondered if this is how I’m going to end up. I met another woman at the bus stop, I was hard to miss the white blotches on her feet as she walked by. It was then I had an epiphany that I needed to accept my vitiligo and move on with my life.
As for the impact of Vitiligo on my career, I did a course in hospitality and Operations. I dreamed of working on the cabin crew where I would walk down the aisle while always smiling and helping people on the plane. I worked very hard and got my license. I tried to get a job but couldn’t, so I changed careers. I try not to believe that it was because of my vitiligo but couldn’t help but notice how the interviewers were looking at my hands during the interview. It’s not much different in my current career either. I’m in catering. I’ve had people glare at my hands as if there was poo on them and after I confronted them, they apologize.
I’ve finally learned to accept my vitiligo, but I wish that they could the right medication needed. I always look to God for strength. He has helped me thus far and continues to help me every day.
As I make my journey from little girl to woman, I must admit vitiligo has had an impact on my romantic relationships. I never wanted to be a single parent, I never wanted to rise my child with a different man. The father of my child doesn’t want anything to do with me I don’t know if it is because of my skin condition. Only God knows what tomorrow will bring. I decided to accept it and move on. The right man will come and love me the way I am. This is some encouragement to anyone who is going through what I’m going through. Don’t lose hope, love your life and go for what you believe in.
