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Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by asbestos. It occurs most often in the lining of the lungs or abdomen.
FILE: Former apartheid president FW de Klerk. Image: Abigail Javier / Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG – The last apartheid president, FW de Klerk, announced Thursday that he was diagnosed with cancer.
The FW de Klerk Foundation disclosed the disease in a statement on its website. De Klerk turned 85 on Thursday.
“Former President FW de Klerk announced today on his 85th birthday that he has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, which is a cancer that affects the tissue that lines the lungs.”
The foundation said it would start immunotherapy next week.
“There is no immediate threat and we are confident that the treatment will be successful.”
According to mesothelioma.com, it is a cancer caused by asbestos. It occurs most often in the lining of the lungs or abdomen.
“Average life expectancy is 18 to 31 months after diagnosis, but the prognosis may improve with treatment. Symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath and general fatigue,” the site reads.
De Klerk’s presidency came to an end when the first democratic elections were held in South Africa in 1994. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected president, in 1993.
South Africa has rich reserves of asbestos, which was mined during the 19th century and during apartheid. South Africa was the world’s third largest asbestos exporter for more than a century. Former residents of asbestos mining regions suffer and continue to suffer from the effects of asbestos-related disease.
The use of asbestos was banned in 2008. It was prized for its heat-resistant and fire-retardant qualities and was used to build houses during apartheid.
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