Humans of RCL FOODS: Sashen Moodley – The power of the pivot

When Sashen Moodley tells you he’s not the same person he once was, he means it – mind, body, and spirit. It’s not just a metaphorical shift; it’s a full transformation. And if you ever happen to see an old photo of him, be prepared for a joke: “That’s my brother.” Because the man he used to be, before cancer, feels like a different life altogether.

In February 2023, just after completing his articles, Sashen’s world changed in the quietest way. He was stepping out of the shower when he noticed a lump on his neck. It didn’t hurt. It didn’t feel urgent. But it was there. “I left it for a week,” he says, “but it just kept getting bigger.” After a round of blood tests, scans, and an eventual biopsy, the diagnosis came back: blood cancer, Stage 3.

At 26 years old, living alone in Joburg, with no family history and no warning signs, it was as if his whole world started to crash around him.

“The diagnosis shattered me,” he says. “I kept thinking, why me?” He moved back to Durban and began treatment – months of gruelling chemotherapy that left scars, both visible and invisible. “It was the worst. I lost so much – weight, strength, energy. Even my hair doesn’t grow the same anymore. But those are battle scars. I wear them with pride.”

And yet, if cancer turned his life upside down, remission gave him the chance to rebuild it with intention. “Something just clicked,” he recalls. “The day I was told I was in remission, I made a promise to myself: this is where I turn my life around.”

Since then, Sashen has become a man of daily 4am wake-ups, five-day gym routines, and home-cooked, clean meals. He dropped 20kg, cut out junk food and processed foods, and committed to the kind of discipline most of us only dream about. But beyond the physical, it was his mindset that truly transformed.

“I used to be so academically focused, always thinking ten steps ahead. I wasn’t living. I wasn’t kind to myself – or others, really,” he admits. “But now, I’m more present. I understand pain in a way I didn’t before, and it’s made me more compassionate.”

He lives by a quote from Atomic Habits: “If you get 1% better every day, in 100 days you’ll be 100% better.” It’s more than a motivational line, it’s a blueprint he follows with consistency. “Every day, I just try to be better than yesterday. That’s it. That’s my only competition.”

And while there were low days – days heavy with exhaustion, clouded by uncertainty, and thick with the kind of quiet fear that only creeps in at 2am – Sashen was never entirely alone. His parents became his anchors, steadying him when the ground beneath him felt shaky. His friends cheered him on from the sidelines, reminding him who he was even when he didn’t feel like himself.

But perhaps the most unexpected source of strength came from someone he barely knew, a fellow patient he met during his chemo sessions. The man was older, undergoing a brutal 16-hour treatment cycle, and had already endured relapse. His body was clearly fighting a hard, long battle. And yet, his spirit was something else entirely.

“He had such a calm about him,” Sashen recalls. “He was always smiling, always asking how I was doing. We’d stay up late watching soccer in my hospital room, talking about life, faith, the things we were still grateful for.”

Those late-night conversations became a small but powerful light. “He knew I was struggling,” Sashen says. “I think he made it his mission to keep me company, to make sure I never felt like the youngest person in the ward.”

Eventually, that man passed away. But his presence never left.

“He inspired me more than he’ll ever know,” Sashen says. “His mindset stuck with me. His strength became mine.”

Today, Sashen works at RCL FOODS – something he’s immensely grateful for after having to leave his consulting job during treatment. “Ashmeka from the talent team found me on LinkedIn. Fathima Moola gave me a shot. They didn’t just offer me a job, they gave me a fresh start.”

His colleagues now watch his lunch choices with curiosity, asking for tips and even copying his meals. “It’s surreal,” he laughs. “People think I’ve got the secret, but it’s just consistency. You’ve got to want to change.”

When asked what he wants people to take away from his journey, his answer is immediate: “Don’t wait. Go for your checkups. Early detection is better than cure – it saved my life.”

It’s about owning your story. “You need to want the change. No one else can do it for you. You have to show up for yourself.”

Sashen’s story is one of resilience, discipline, and quiet courage. It’s about facing the worst and choosing to become your best. And it’s a reminder that even when life throws you off course, there’s still power in the pivot – if you’re willing to make it.