How Azola Mnotoza Beat the Odds Against a Life-Threatening Tumour

What started as a persistent “busy-lifestyle headache” turned into a fight for her life, but thanks to the power of specialised care and a truly miraculous recovery, Azola Mnotoza is finally waking up to a bright new chapter.

Centurion, South Africa (02 March 2026) – For two years, Azola Mnotoza had been experiencing persistent headaches. Though she dismissed it as a result of a busy lifestyle, one morning would prove that wasn’t the case.

Azola had been working as a registry clerk and was planning to complete her BA degree at 26 years old. What initially appeared to be an ordinary symptom, one she’d seen the doctor about several times before, turned out to be a major warning sign.

One fateful morning, her mother found her confused, drenched in sweat and struggling to speak or lift her head to wake up from bed. Azola was rushed to the hospital, where urgent imaging revealed a large brain tumour.

“Azola’s scan showed a giant meningioma, which is a tumour arising from the meninges, or membranes, that surround the brain,” says Dr Jaffar Azhar, a neurosurgeon practising at Netcare Unitas Hospital.

“These tumours usually grow very slowly and are uncommon in someone so young. Although the tumour was benign, its size and location meant that it was high risk, and surgery could not be delayed.”

Left untreated, Azola’s condition would have continued to deteriorate and could have taken a sudden turn for the worse, becoming life-threatening. Given the size of the meningioma and its benign nature, complete surgical removal was the only option.

She underwent a precise neurosurgical procedure to remove the tumour. It was a meticulous, 10-hour operation. Following her procedure, Azola spent several weeks recovering in hospital, which was followed by a rigorous rehabilitation programme.

“Azola’s tumour was on the left side of the brain, so she experienced some confusion, speech difficulties and problems with walking after surgery, as can be expected. Recovery from such major surgery can take up to two years, and ongoing rehabilitation and regular follow-ups are essential,” says Dr Azhar.

While Azola’s procedure was highly successful, the road back to health has been long.

“When I woke up after the operation, I couldn’t talk properly, and I couldn’t walk,” she says.

“Everything had to be relearned step by step, and it’s taken a lot of rehabilitation – more than a year – to get to where I am now.”

Looking back, Azola notes that the headaches, which had been present for some time, were a red flag for something she would never have seen coming.

“Over about two years, I had headaches on and off, but I had seen doctors and was given advice for the treatment of tension. As a young, healthy person, a brain tumour was the last thing I expected. Hearing that news was frightening.”

She is thankful for the emotional support she received during her hospital stay, which helped her mentally prepare and process everything she was going through.

While the road to recovery has been long, Azola has made remarkable progress thanks to the specialised care she’s received from diagnosis to rehabilitation.

Each day brings new advances as she rebuilds her life piece by piece, finds her rhythm again, and moves forward with renewed strength. She hopes to return to work soon, and more importantly, to her studies in Government, Administration and Development so she can graduate.

Sources: Netcare

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