Shalom Onoja, 14, left three letters during her bone cancer battle, including funeral wishes. Her purple dress arrived in Zimbabwe one day after her death.
A 14-year-old Zimbabwean girl who spent her final months fighting bone cancer left behind three letters before she died, one of which contained her wishes for her own funeral, touching the hearts of thousands across the country and beyond.
Shalom Onoja died after battling cancer. Photo: Zimbabwe Trending. Source: FacebookShalom Onoja, a schoolgirl diagnosed with the illness in August 2024, passed away at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Zimbabwe, where she had been receiving treatment in the cancer ward. In her final weeks, she was dependent on supplemental oxygen to breathe.
A well-wisher had also donated an oxygen machine for her use at home before her condition worsened.
One was addressed to the nurses and well-wishers who had supported her throughout her illness, expressing gratitude for their kindness.
Another carried instructions for how she wanted her funeral to be conducted. She asked to be dressed in either a purple or an all-white outfit, and requested a colourful celebration of her life, one that would honour her smile rather than dwell on her pain.
Tragically, the purple dress she had wished for arrived in Zimbabwe a day after she died.
Her stepfather, Joe Phiri, described the family as devastated but said they were committed to carrying out Shalom's final instructions and giving her the send-off she had envisioned.
Shalom's fight against the disease had taken her across the border to South Africa, where she underwent a leg amputation.
The procedure was only made possible after well-wishers rallied together to raise a 20,000 South African rand treatment deposit.
Her condition began to decline sharply last month, leading to her admission to Parirenyatwa Hospital's cancer ward.
Her story was shared widely on social media by KidzCan Zimbabwe, a children's cancer support organisation, and picked up by several Zimbabwean outlets including H-Metro.
Despite the family's refusal to abandon hope, praying for recovery even as her health deteriorated, Shalom did not survive. She was just 14 years old.
In another story, TUKO also highlighted facts about veteran South African actor Marius Weyers and reports that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The 81-year-old was reportedly receiving care at a rehabilitation facility after being admitted to hospital.
