Latest news with #TamsynGerrits
TimesLIVE
11-08-2025
- Health
- TimesLIVE
Former Miss SA finalist Tamsyn Gerrits opens up about cancer battle
The 28-year-old co-owner and head of paid ads for Jane Doe Media, Tamsyn Gerrits, has shared on her Instagram how she took a dramatic turn for the worse during the Easter weekend. 'On our way to Bellville Melomed ER [emergency room]. Woke up from shooting pain in my left side (abdomen and lower back). Feels like cold metal pressing on the inside and pretty bad nausea,' she said. The next day, after seeing doctors, Gerrits said: 'The doctor finally saw me. She's very confident it's an ovarian tumour. It's about 16cm in diameter. No CT scan needed. If we don't operate soon I could lose my ovary (ovarian torsion).' Gerrits, who entered the Miss South Africa pageant and made it all the way to the top five of the 2022 edition, shared how she woke up with a swollen belly one morning which she assumed it was bloating but the mild discomfort wouldn't go away. She said she looked like she was four or five months' pregnant, but knew she wasn't. 'Every morning my stomach looked round and hard. Not soft or squishy like normal bloating. I knew something wasn't right.' After being diagnosed Gerrits started her chemotherapy journey and shared the downs she went through. From hair loss to skin reactions, she bared it all online. In one video she revealed she wanted to cut her hair with her sister but had to cut it herself due to the amount of hair loss.
Scottish Sun
26-06-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
I was so bloated I looked 5 months pregnant – then a sharp pain like cold metal scrapping my insides revealed the truth
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WHEN Tamsyn Gerrits woke up one morning with a swollen belly, she assumed it was just bloating. But what started as mild discomfort quickly turned into a terrifying ordeal that would change the 28-year-old's life forever. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Tamsyn Gerrits initially put her swollen belly down to bloating Credit: Cover Images 7 Tamsyn with her husband, Jaco Credit: Cover Images 7 The bloating made her look like she was four of five months pregnant Credit: Cover Images At first, Tamsyn looked like she was about four of five months pregnant - but she wasn't. She also thought it didn't feel like regular bloating. 'Every morning, my stomach looked round and hard. Not soft or squishy like normal bloating. I just knew something wasn't right,' she said. Tamsyn, whose son Elan is only a year old, had ultrasounds but doctors struggled to pinpoint the problem. 'All they could see was a large fluid-filled mass pressing on my bladder,' she said. 'They weren't sure if it was a cyst, a hernia, or something else entirely.' They also made her take five pregnancy tests - all of which came back negative. 'I knew it wasn't a baby, but it was frustrating having to constantly prove it,' she added. Then, over Easter weekend, Tamsyn's condition took a dramatic turn for the worse. At 4am she was woken by a sharp, shooting pain in her lower back and left abdomen. I was on the brink of death with litre of blood in my stomach after sex - if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone 'It felt like cold metal scraping the inside of my body. I was nauseous and scared,' she said. 'It was a public holiday and my medical aid wouldn't approve a scan or surgery. No one answered their phones. I was lying there in pain, knowing something was growing inside me, and I couldn't do a thing about it.' Eventually a gynaecologist examined her and made a chilling discovery, an ovarian tumour growing very rapidly. 'I went in on Friday, and the mass was 12cm. By Monday, it was 17cm. That's how fast it grew,' Tamsyn, from Cape Town, South Africa, said. 'The doctor said we had to operate immediately or I could lose my ovary.' 'Extremely lucky' Surgeons found a massive dermoid cyst - a type of tumour that can contain tissue like hair, skin, and even teeth. 'It was right on the verge of bursting,' Tamsyn said. 'In fact, it did burst the moment they removed it. 'This was extremely lucky, because if it had burst inside my body, I likely would have progressed straight to Stage 3 or 4 cancer. The fact that it was intact when removed played a crucial role in catching it early.' Doctors were able to save her ovary and used her C-section scar to minimise additional scarring. But the real shock came days later, when her biopsy results confirmed the tumour was Grade 2 – high-grade and cancerous. 'I went numb,' Tamsyn admitted. You never think it's going to be when you're young and healthy, and have a child to raise Tamsyn Gerrits 'You never think it's going to be you. Especially when your blood work was all clear. 'Especially when you're young and healthy, and have a child to raise.' Tamsyn has had aggressive chemotherapy, which has left her physically and emotionally drained. 'I gained 1st 8lbs (10 kilos) in just five days from all the steroids, fluids, and hormones they pumped into me,' she said. 'Then I dropped 1st 12lbs (12kg) in a weekend. My body didn't recognise itself. I didn't recognise myself. 'My hair started falling out in clumps by day 16. So I decided to take back some control and shaved it all off. A bold chop. My way of saying: 'You don't get to take this from me too.'' 'This is a rollercoaster' Just as Tamsyn began to find a rhythm in her treatment regime, she was rushed to hospital with an infected chemo port and dangerously low white blood cells. 'My body was shaking uncontrollably. I was freezing, nauseous, and scared. The infection was winning because my immune system was too weak to fight it," she said. Doctors paused her chemo and began IV antibiotics, plus painful injections to stimulate her bone marrow. 'I've been told I'll probably be in hospital for another 10 days,' she says. 'It feels excessive, but they want to be sure I'm strong enough to continue treatment.' Despite it all, Tamsyn remains defiant. 'This is a rollercoaster, but I'm holding on,' she said. 'I'm grateful we caught it early. I'm grateful for my support system - my husband, Jaco, who's my best friend, and our beautiful one-year-old son, Elan, who gives me a reason to keep going.' 7 On an ultrasound a large fluid-filled mass pressing on her bladder could be seen Credit: Cover Images 7 Eventually a gynaecologist examined her and made a chilling discovery, an ovarian tumour growing very rapidly Credit: Cover Images 7 During aggressive chemotherapy, Tamsyn decided to shave all her hair off Credit: Cover Images 7 The former Miss South Africa Top 5 finalist shares her experiences on social media Credit: Cover Images She hopes her story will encourage other women to trust their instincts. 'We're told we're overreacting, being dramatic, or hormonal. But if your body is screaming that something is wrong, listen. There are no medals for being tough,' she said. Tamsyn, an entrepreneur and beauty queen who is a former Miss South Africa Top 5 finalist, shares her experiences on social media @tamsyn_gerrits and through her own marketing agency Jane Doe Media. 'I've been discharged from hospital, and my body has miraculously and thankfully managed to overcome the infection,' she said. 'I'm scheduled to resume chemotherapy – just two more rounds to go. 'I'm not hiding. This is part of my life now. And if I can help one woman avoid being dismissed, if I can make one mum feel seen – then it's worth every post, every chemo drip, every tear.'
The Irish Sun
26-06-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
I was so bloated I looked 5 months pregnant – then a sharp pain like cold metal scrapping my insides revealed the truth
WHEN Tamsyn Gerrits woke up one morning with a swollen belly, she assumed it was just bloating. But what started as mild discomfort quickly turned into a terrifying ordeal that would change the 28-year-old's life forever. Advertisement 7 Tamsyn Gerrits initially put her swollen belly down to bloating Credit: Cover Images 7 Tamsyn with her husband, Jaco Credit: Cover Images 7 The bloating made her look like she was four of five months pregnant Credit: Cover Images At first, Tamsyn looked like she was about four of five months pregnant - but she wasn't. She also thought it didn't feel like regular 'Every morning, my stomach looked round and hard. Not soft or squishy like normal bloating. I just knew something wasn't right,' she said. Tamsyn, whose son Elan is only a year old, had ultrasounds but doctors struggled to pinpoint the problem. Advertisement Read more on ovarian cancer 'All they could see was a large fluid-filled mass pressing on my bladder,' she said. 'They weren't sure if it was a cyst, a They also made her take five pregnancy tests - all of which came back negative. 'I knew it wasn't a baby, but it was frustrating having to constantly prove it,' she added. Advertisement Most read in Health Exclusive Exclusive Then, over Easter weekend, Tamsyn's condition took a dramatic turn for the worse. At 4am she was woken by a sharp, shooting pain in her lower back and left abdomen. I was on the brink of death with litre of blood in my stomach after sex - if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone 'It felt like cold metal scraping the inside of my body. I was nauseous and scared,' she said. 'It was a public holiday and my medical aid wouldn't approve a scan or surgery. No one answered their phones. I was lying there in pain, knowing something was growing inside me, and I couldn't do a thing about it.' Advertisement Eventually a gynaecologist examined her and made a chilling discovery, an ovarian tumour growing very rapidly. 'I went in on Friday, and the mass was 12cm. By Monday, it was 17cm. That's how fast it grew,' Tamsyn, from Cape Town, South Africa, said. 'The doctor said we had to operate immediately or I could lose my ovary.' 'Extremely lucky' Surgeons found a massive dermoid cyst - a type of tumour that can contain tissue like hair, skin, and even teeth. Advertisement 'It was right on the verge of bursting,' Tamsyn said. 'In fact, it did burst the moment they removed it. 'This was extremely lucky, because if it had burst inside my body, I likely would have progressed straight to Stage 3 or 4 cancer. The fact that it was intact when removed played a crucial role in catching it early.' Doctors were able to save her ovary and used her C-section scar to minimise additional scarring. But the real shock came days later, when her biopsy results confirmed the tumour was Grade 2 – high-grade and cancerous. Advertisement 'I went numb,' Tamsyn admitted. You never think it's going to be when you're young and healthy, and have a child to raise Tamsyn Gerrits 'You never think it's going to be you. Especially when your blood work was all clear. 'Especially when you're young and healthy, and have a child to raise.' Tamsyn has had aggressive chemotherapy, which has left her physically and emotionally drained. Advertisement 'I gained 1st 8lbs (10 kilos) in just five days from all the steroids, fluids, and hormones they pumped into me,' she said. 'Then I dropped 1st 12lbs (12kg) in a weekend. My body didn't recognise itself. I didn't recognise myself. 'My hair started falling out in clumps by day 16. So I decided to take back some control and shaved it all off. A bold chop. My way of saying: 'You don't get to take this from me too.'' 'This is a rollercoaster' Just as Tamsyn began to find a rhythm in her treatment regime, she was rushed to hospital with an infected chemo port and dangerously low white blood cells. Advertisement 'My body was shaking uncontrollably. I was freezing, nauseous, and scared. The infection was winning because my immune system was too weak to fight it," she said. Doctors paused her chemo and began IV antibiotics, plus painful injections to stimulate her bone marrow. 'I've been told I'll probably be in hospital for another 10 days,' she says. 'It feels excessive, but they want to be sure I'm strong enough to continue treatment.' Advertisement Despite it all, Tamsyn remains defiant. 'This is a rollercoaster, but I'm holding on,' she said. 'I'm grateful we caught it early. I'm grateful for my support system - my husband, Jaco, who's my best friend, and our beautiful one-year-old son, Elan, who gives me a reason to keep going.' 7 On an ultrasound a large fluid-filled mass pressing on her bladder could be seen Credit: Cover Images Advertisement 7 Eventually a gynaecologist examined her and made a chilling discovery, an ovarian tumour growing very rapidly Credit: Cover Images 7 During aggressive chemotherapy, Tamsyn decided to shave all her hair off Credit: Cover Images 7 The former Miss South Africa Top 5 finalist shares her experiences on social media Credit: Cover Images She hopes her story will encourage other women to trust their instincts. Advertisement 'We're told we're overreacting, being dramatic, or hormonal. But if your body is screaming that something is wrong, listen. There are no medals for being tough,' she said. Tamsyn, an entrepreneur and beauty queen who is a former Miss South Africa Top 5 finalist, shares her experiences on social media @tamsyn_gerrits and through her own marketing agency Jane Doe Media. 'I've been discharged from hospital, and my body has miraculously and thankfully managed to overcome the infection,' she said. 'I'm scheduled to resume chemotherapy – just two more rounds to go. Advertisement 'I'm not hiding. This is part of my life now. And if I can help one woman avoid being dismissed, if I can make one mum feel seen – then it's worth every post, every chemo drip, every tear.' What are the signs of ovarian cancer? Ovarian cancers affects the ovaries - the organs that store the eggs needed to make babies. It mostly affects women over the age of 50 and can sometimes run in families, according to the NHS. Symptoms of the cancer can be vague, particularly in its early stages, Cancer Research UK SAYS. The charity advises you speak to a GP if you have the following symptoms: Pain in your abdomen or lower part of your abdomen that doesn't go away Tiredness that is unexplained The NHS added that bleeding from the vagina after the menopause could be another possible symptom of ovarian cancer.
The Sun
26-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
I was so bloated I looked 5 months pregnant – then a sharp pain like cold metal scrapping my insides revealed the truth
WHEN Tamsyn Gerrits woke up one morning with a swollen belly, she assumed it was just bloating. But what started as mild discomfort quickly turned into a terrifying ordeal that would change the 28-year-old's life forever. 7 7 At first, Tamsyn looked like she was about four of five months pregnant - but she wasn't. She also thought it didn't feel like regular bloating. 'Every morning, my stomach looked round and hard. Not soft or squishy like normal bloating. I just knew something wasn't right,' she said. Tamsyn, whose son Elan is only a year old, had ultrasounds but doctors struggled to pinpoint the problem. 'All they could see was a large fluid-filled mass pressing on my bladder,' she said. 'They weren't sure if it was a cyst, a hernia, or something else entirely.' They also made her take five pregnancy tests - all of which came back negative. 'I knew it wasn't a baby, but it was frustrating having to constantly prove it,' she added. Then, over Easter weekend, Tamsyn's condition took a dramatic turn for the worse. At 4am she was woken by a sharp, shooting pain in her lower back and left abdomen. I was on the brink of death with litre of blood in my stomach after sex - if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone 'It felt like cold metal scraping the inside of my body. I was nauseous and scared,' she said. 'It was a public holiday and my medical aid wouldn't approve a scan or surgery. No one answered their phones. I was lying there in pain, knowing something was growing inside me, and I couldn't do a thing about it.' Eventually a gynaecologist examined her and made a chilling discovery, an ovarian tumour growing very rapidly. 'I went in on Friday, and the mass was 12cm. By Monday, it was 17cm. That's how fast it grew,' Tamsyn, from Cape Town, South Africa, said. 'The doctor said we had to operate immediately or I could lose my ovary.' 'Extremely lucky' Surgeons found a massive dermoid cyst - a type of tumour that can contain tissue like hair, skin, and even teeth. 'It was right on the verge of bursting,' Tamsyn said. 'In fact, it did burst the moment they removed it. 'This was extremely lucky, because if it had burst inside my body, I likely would have progressed straight to Stage 3 or 4 cancer. The fact that it was intact when removed played a crucial role in catching it early.' Doctors were able to save her ovary and used her C-section scar to minimise additional scarring. But the real shock came days later, when her biopsy results confirmed the tumour was Grade 2 – high-grade and cancerous. 'I went numb,' Tamsyn admitted. 'You never think it's going to be you. Especially when your blood work was all clear. 'Especially when you're young and healthy, and have a child to raise.' Tamsyn has had aggressive chemotherapy, which has left her physically and emotionally drained. 'I gained 1st 8lbs (10 kilos) in just five days from all the steroids, fluids, and hormones they pumped into me,' she said. 'Then I dropped 1st 12lbs (12kg) in a weekend. My body didn't recognise itself. I didn't recognise myself. 'My hair started falling out in clumps by day 16. So I decided to take back some control and shaved it all off. A bold chop. My way of saying: 'You don't get to take this from me too.'' 'This is a rollercoaster' Just as Tamsyn began to find a rhythm in her treatment regime, she was rushed to hospital with an infected chemo port and dangerously low white blood cells. 'My body was shaking uncontrollably. I was freezing, nauseous, and scared. The infection was winning because my immune system was too weak to fight it," she said. Doctors paused her chemo and began IV antibiotics, plus painful injections to stimulate her bone marrow. 'I've been told I'll probably be in hospital for another 10 days,' she says. 'It feels excessive, but they want to be sure I'm strong enough to continue treatment.' Despite it all, Tamsyn remains defiant. 'This is a rollercoaster, but I'm holding on,' she said. 'I'm grateful we caught it early. I'm grateful for my support system - my husband, Jaco, who's my best friend, and our beautiful one-year-old son, Elan, who gives me a reason to keep going.' 7 7 7 She hopes her story will encourage other women to trust their instincts. 'We're told we're overreacting, being dramatic, or hormonal. But if your body is screaming that something is wrong, listen. There are no medals for being tough,' she said. Tamsyn, an entrepreneur and beauty queen who is a former Miss South Africa Top 5 finalist, shares her experiences on social media @tamsyn_gerrits and through her own marketing agency Jane Doe Media. 'I've been discharged from hospital, and my body has miraculously and thankfully managed to overcome the infection,' she said. 'I'm scheduled to resume chemotherapy – just two more rounds to go. 'I'm not hiding. This is part of my life now. And if I can help one woman avoid being dismissed, if I can make one mum feel seen – then it's worth every post, every chemo drip, every tear.'
