Zebra medical newsletter april 2026
Dear esteemed Healthcare Professional,
Exactly two months ago I lost a dear cousin, best friend and confidante to the curse that is breast cancer. Her 8-year struggle saw her in remission for 6 years until it returned in June 2024. She was forced yet again to embark on the devastating rollercoaster of relentless treatments, hopes raised and dashed, and ultimately a prognosis that she rejected. In December 2025, when her best-case scenario was four months accompanied by a toxic cocktail of the most torturous chemo drugs, she (unbeknown to the family) refused any further treatment.
I remember so many reconstructive surgeries over the years. She was determined to be her former self, look her former self, feel her former self …. She was adamant that she did not want a PICC-line. [Note: A chest port would have never been an option given the mastectomy.] In her words, “I don’t want that thing hanging out of my arm”. She did not want her illness exposed and on display for others to know. She didn’t want anyone’s sympathy. She simply wanted her life back.
She was supposed to get a PICC-port towards the end of last year, provided that the drugs worked. They did not. And she accepted that. She passed away two months ago.
Her passing has left an indelible mark on me and our family. Breast cancer robbed her of so much. And in my cousin’s honour, and all women who bravely fight this disease, I am personally invested in helping to bring a semblance of dignity and quality of life back to those ladies like my cousin, aka our “Breast Cancer Warrior Women”.
This commitment has already started with Zebra’s training of two highly esteemed female breast surgeons, Dr Liana Roodt and the team at Project Flamingo, as well as Dr Fatima Hoosain at the Apffelstaedt practice in Panoroma in the Western Cape. And indeed, the training of several of their colleagues in state and private in Cape Town.
The PICC-port phenomenon will officially launch nationally with a PICC-port workshop on 9 May at University of Pretoria that will be conducted by Dr Hugo Minnaar who needs no introduction in the vascular access world. This will be followed by our webinar to be held on 3 June 2026 from 18h30 – 19h30. Details and registration links can be found below.
I sign off with a heavy heart, but determined to make a difference. That’s what we do at Zebra. We are care without compromise.
Watch out for our upcoming series of Zebra newsletters where we will be reporting back on WoCoVA’s latest Vascular Access research and practises.
Warm regards,
P.S. If anyone would like to assist Liana in her mission at Project Flamingo by volunteering surgical services or making in-kind donations, please click the link below.
From Dr Liana Roodt
“While survival is almost always front of mind when a patient begins their breast cancer journey, I have come to firmly believe that healing without dignity leaves unseen scars that linger long after treatment. In the private sector, most patients have access to implanted chemo ports, making their treatment journey a little easier and more dignified. In contrast, this option is seldom available to patients in the public sector – primarily due to limited theatre capacity for insertion and the high cost of devices.
PICC-Ports offer a practical and compassionate solution. They allow us to provide safe and effective vascular access at the bedside, without placing additional strain on already overburdened surgical and anaesthetic services. This means patients can start treatment sooner, with less discomfort and greater dignity.
We are deeply grateful to the Zebra team for their generous donation and invaluable training in the use of these devices. Their support makes it possible to extend this form of care to more patients who would otherwise go without. Together, we can create more access, more comfort, and more dignity, supporting not just cure, but true healing.”
Dr Liana Roodt
MBChB (UP) | FCS (SA) | MMed (Surg) (UCT)
Specialist Breast & Endocrine Surgeon
CEO & Chair – Project Flamingo
Executive Director – Cancer Alliance of South Africa
Online | 3 June 2026
PICC-PORT WEBINAR
Meet the Speakers
