Lupus patient raises awareness through music
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Friday January 22, 2021 16:43
. However against all odds, this beautiful and talented songstress did not just sit back and feel pity for herself. Ditirafalo decided to take advantage of her situation and raise awareness about Lupus disease, inspire and motivate people with the same challenge to believe in themselves and never give up in life by sharing her journey with Lupus and how she managed to live with the condition.
Lupus is a rare chronic condition/disease which affects any part of the body like the brain, kidneys, joints or skin. The immune system that is supposed to protect the body becomes over active then attacks normal organs. In Ditirafalo's case , it affected her joints and she was confined to a wheel chair for six months.
Luckily for her, she is currently using a walking frame. She was diagnosed with Lupus in December 2018. The young woman pointed out that Lupus had a negative impact on her life. She said it deformed her body as she now depends on a walking frame to move about. Ditirafalo also told Arts & Culture that she started singing at a very young age and was a finalist at My Star Botswana Show in 2013 where she scooped position three. She then got a scholarship to study music performance at AFDA Cape Town where she graduated in March 2018. After being diagnosed with Lupus, theyoung singer said she got depressed but luckily for her, music healed her soul.
She pointed out that she used music as form of expression and her song titled 'Be hopeful' the verses focus only on the negative impact of Lupus in her life and transition to hopefulness in the chorus and bridge. Ditirafalo added that music helped her to heal emotionally as it brought her joy. She also said she composed all the three songs in her EP that was released in June last year.
The songs were produced at Lushlife Time Records in Molepolole. Ditirafalo worked with Rhoda Visuals in the production of her two music videos Mopuleng and Be hopeful. She is currently working on the last song called 'Why O Nketsa So? “My aim is to inspire people out there, in any kind of situation that they can still be what they want to be or do what they want to do despite the challenge they face.
I am disabled as a result of Lupus but still aspires to fight to make music my career,' she said. However, this young brave star eventually overcame her depression through counselling at Tshidilong Centre, Scottish Livingstone Hospital.
She added that she had been booked for numerous events despite her not being able to dance for her audience but only sing. However, just like many artistes, she revealed that because of COVID-19 she could not host shows and that has affected her financially.