Joanna Naicker

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South Africa
Johannesburg
Joanna Naicker

S4 colon cancer survivor, supporting people newly diagnosed ❤️‍🩹

27/03/2026

Google didn’t give me real answers.

The only way to understand what’s going on is to track your symptoms and get proper medical advice.

I didn’t even know the symptoms of colon cancer, so it never crossed my mind that it could be cancer.
Even when I went to the doctor, I didn’t have that information to push further, even though I was advocating for myself and begging for help!

By the time I knew what was actually happening, it was stage 4 colon cancer.

If something feels off and it keeps happening, don’t ignore the pattern.

Link is in my bio for my free symptoms checker.
It could help you catch what I didn’t in time 🙏

18/03/2026

I wrote this to the woman who just got off the phone and is trying to process words that don’t feel real yet.

I know the ground just fell out from under you. I know you’re wondering how you’re supposed to do this. Your brain is already racing through every worst case scenario.

Here’s what I wish someone had told me the day I got that call.

You will find a version of yourself you didn’t know existed. You will walk into rooms that terrify you and walk out the other side. You will break down and then you will get back up. Again and again.

This is going to change you. One day, you’ll look back and realise you became someone you’re actually proud of 💛

16/03/2026

Many women living with cancer experience a quiet mental loop that nobody really talks about.

A diagnosis creates enormous stress. At the same time, research shows that chronic stress can influence inflammation, immune signalling, sleep quality, and hormone balance, all systems that help the body maintain stability during illness and recovery.

So many women end up stuck in a painful paradox.

You are already carrying the fear of the disease, the treatment, and the uncertainty of the future. Then you start worrying that the stress itself might somehow harm your body.

This is the stress–cancer paradox.

Science does not say that stress alone causes cancer or recurrence. What research does show is that long term unmanaged stress can affect biological systems connected to immunity, inflammation, and hormonal regulation.

The goal is not to eliminate stress. That would be impossible.

The goal is to help your nervous system come out of constant survival mode.

Evidence based approaches that can help include:

🌿 Mindfulness and breathing practices
These can help regulate cortisol and calm the nervous system.

🚶‍♀️ Gentle movement
Walking, stretching, or yoga support mood, sleep, and immune function.

🧠 Counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy
Talking through fears can reduce anxiety and improve coping.

👭 Support from other people
Connection with friends, family, or support groups lowers emotional burden.

🌙 Protecting sleep routines
Consistent sleep helps regulate hormones and inflammatory responses.

Small nervous system resets matter more than perfection. Even brief moments of calm throughout the day can help shift the body away from constant stress signalling.

If you have ever felt guilty for feeling anxious during cancer, this is your reminder that your response is human.

You are not failing at healing.
You are navigating something incredibly difficult.

If you are looking for more support, I have gathered resources, tools, and ways to work with me one to one on my Stan Store. The link is in my bio.

Share this with another woman who might need to hear it today 💛

15/03/2026

Two more immunotherapy sessions. Then another PET scan.

I’ve done this more times than I can count. It never gets easier.

The scan itself is over quickly. The waiting for results takes everything.

Your brain runs through every scenario. You analyze every twinge. Sleep disappears. Even when the news is good, sometimes you just start counting down to the next one.

The hardest part is carrying all of that while still being mum. Still making breakfast, managing the day to day, being present when inside you’re falling apart.

If you’re in the waiting right now, keep busy where you can & when the feelings rise up, let them out. Don’t hold it in. My little girl always finds a way to distract me too 😉 despite it all 💛

14/03/2026

A cancer diagnosis throws you into a world of information overnight. It can feel overwhelming very quickly. These are five books that might help you make sense of things without drowning in it.

Each one plays a different role.

Together these five books cover the things many people start exploring after a diagnosis: lifestyle, mindset, nutrition, science, and real survivor stories.

If you are newly diagnosed, start slowly. One book at a time is more than enough.

Share this with someone who might need it today 💛

12/03/2026

I was on a call when I heard the words Stage 4 and I remember feeling like my entire world had just shattered in that moment.

Nobody prepared me for the grief that would follow. Not the grief of dying, but the grief of losing the woman I was before cancer came into my life.

Nobody warned me that some people would go completely silent, that friendships I thought were solid would crumble under the weight of three little words.

What nobody told me is that I would discover a version of myself I never knew existed. I would find people who show up without being asked and I would finally learn what really matters in this life.

Five recurrences later I am still here. Still fighting. Still showing up.

If you are in the middle of it right now, let this be your reminder that you are stronger than you know and this diagnosis does not define your story.

Save this for the days you need it ❤️

11/03/2026

Nobody tells you about this kind of tired.

It’s not the kind sleep fixes. It’s the kind that sits in your bones while your brain runs through every worst case scenario on repeat.

Five recurrences of Stage 4 colon cancer. I’ve lost count of how many scans, how many bloods, how many times I’ve had to rebuild.

Somewhere in all of that you’re still expected to show up. Be the mum. Be okay. Keep going.

So if you’re reading this and you feel like you’ve done nothing but you’re completely drained, I get it.

That exhaustion is real. Your mind is carrying weight nobody else can see.

09/03/2026

Strength is often misunderstood.

Many women are not strong because they chose to be. They are strong because life placed them in situations where there was no other option.

When you face serious illness, uncertainty, and the possibility that everything could change, courage stops looking inspirational and simply becomes necessary.

You hold on to your dignity. You keep showing up for the appointments, the tests, and the conversations that most people never have to have. You keep putting one foot in front of the other, even on days when it would be easier to shut the world out for a while.

And sometimes strength also means using your voice. Speaking about the hard things, raising awareness, and sharing what this experience really looks like so that others feel less alone.

If you know a woman who has carried more than most people realise, tag her below and let’s shine the light on her ✨💛

Address

Johannesburg

Website

https://stan.store/joannanaicker

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