Patricia “Pat” van Wyk, a Gordon’s Bay resident, has celebrated 25 years of living life to the fullest with just one lung. After a health journey that’s no less than remarkable, the 59-year-old is determined to inspire others to find strength in faith and positivity.
The invaluable part-time Helderberg Hospice employee underwent a life-saving pneumonectomy in November 1999, just two months after giving birth to her second daughter. The procedure entailed removing her entire left lung and part of the right one, which had been irreparably damaged by tuberculosis (TB). “I focused on surviving because I had a baby to care for,” recalled Van Wyk, adding that the loss of her mother to illness when she was just seven months old consolidated her determination to win this mighty battle against a very real life-threatening bacterial condition. “I didn’t want history to repeat itself,” she declared.
Van Wyk’s journey began at age 19 when she contracted TB from her family’s housekeeper. The disease wasn’t widely discussed and she initially dismissed her symptoms. After 18 months of treatment she recovered, believing the ordeal was behind her. With a new lease on life Van Wyk found love and married husband Colin. However, when pregnant with her first-born she contracted TB again. Unable to undergo treatment until after the birth she wasted away. “I saw my body deteriorate and felt no zest for life.”
Following her daughter’s birth she underwent rigorous treatment, including daily injections and 12 tablets a day. She beat the infection for the second time, but her lungs were severely scarred, leaving her in constant pain for the next nine years. In August 1999 a pulmonologist recommended removing the damaged lung. Today Van Wyk is complication-free and uses her story to uplift others.
“Even though your situation may seem impossible, nothing is impossible with God,” she said.
Monday 4 November marked 25 years since the surgery, a testament to survival, resilience and faith, which she hopes will inspire others facing adversity. Now a grandmother, she celebrated 36 years of marriage and serving in the Bethesda Evangelical church she and Colin founded in Broadlands Park 27 years ago.
