Samukelisiwe Magoso rises against all odds, as she earns her Master’s in Sports Science (Biokinetics).
Image: SETHU DLAMINI/UKZN
What began as a mission to help rural communities battling chronic pain turned into a deeply personal fight for survival for Samukelisiwe Magoso, who has now graduated with a Master's in Sports Science (Biokinetics) after overcoming paralysis and a life-threatening spinal tumour.
Growing up in the rolling hills of Makholweni in rural KwaZulu-Natal, Magoso had long been driven by a desire to understand and ease the suffering of others.
"She witnessed first-hand the silent suffering of people living with injuries, especially lower back pain (LBP), without access to proper care," the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) said.
But while dedicating herself to researching the impact of lower back pain in underserved communities, Magoso found herself facing a devastating health crisis of her own.
"What began as mild back discomfort during her honours year slowly escalated into something far more serious."
By the middle of 2023, the pain had become unbearable. Doctors later discovered that a massive aneurysmal bone tumour had destroyed her T4 vertebra and was compressing her spinal cord.
Soon, her lungs, kidneys and heart were affected, and she lost the ability to walk. Doctors could not say whether she would ever regain mobility.
"However, even in her darkest moments, Magoso refused to surrender," the university said.
In March 2024, she underwent a gruelling nine-hour operation to remove the tumour and reconstruct her spine using titanium rods and bone grafts.
What followed was an equally punishing recovery marked by months in hospital, severe pneumonia, and the harsh reality of paralysis. But Magoso chose to fight.
With the support of her family, medical teams and rehabilitation specialists, she began rebuilding her strength one small movement at a time, learning first to turn in bed, then to sit up, and eventually to transfer herself into a wheelchair.
Drawing on her own expertise in biokinetics, she crafted a personal rehabilitation plan rooted in both science and determination. Then came the breakthrough.
As UKZN said: "And then, she walked."
Against extraordinary odds, Magoso regained her mobility and returned to complete her groundbreaking master's research, titled Profile, Classification and Care of Lower Back Pain among Rural Communities in a Public Health Facility in KZN.
Her study revealed that lower back pain in rural KZN is widespread, poorly understood and often left untreated, with women engaged in manual labour among those most affected.
"Magoso's research did more than document pain; it gave it a voice."
Today, Magoso serves as a facilitator and coordinator at the Skills Development Institute for Physical Education and also holds a leadership role as Sport Scientist Senior Manager in the Ugu District.
Her next dream is to earn the title of doctor, and given everything she has overcome, few would doubt her ability to do just that.
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