LISTEN | Sophie Lichaba on blacking out and being bullied because of diabetes

Veteran actress Sophie Lichaba has endured many struggles since opening up about her battle with diabetes, including losing out on business and blacking out while driving.

The star, who this year joined the cast of hit drama series Lockdown, sat down with TshisaLIVE earlier this year to speak about her role as a broken nurse in a mental asylum and how she channelled the hurt she experienced in her personal life into the character.

“You know they always say, find somebody who died in your family and just become emotional. For me, I draw from the woman that I am. I draw from the things that I have been through,” she explained

Sophie has had a public battle with diabetes, which led to her losing weight, resulting in fake rumours about her dying.

“My kids, it affected them because sometimes they would be like 'why would so many people say this? Is it true? Are you dying? Is there something that you are not telling us?' ... People don't realise that you are human and go through human pain, like anybody else.”

She also recounted a time when she blacked out while driving on a residential road late last year.

“I am diabetic and my sugar levels were very high and I literally passed out. That is why, for me, I want to create awareness about the condition ... My kids, everyone was sad, they just said 'mom, what if this had happened on the highway?' It happened on a normal road but the bottom line is that the car was wrecked.”

She also revealed that the rumours of her “death” affected her businesses.

“You must remember that I am not just an actress, I have businesses ... People who once trusted you with R10m or R5m for their projects, when they hear you are dying, why would they even give you a contract? It was the challenge of losing a lot.”

She said that she is not letting it get to her and is determined to prove her critics wrong.

“People think that I have lost it all, let go of it all. I am just getting started. They said I would never plan another wedding again, but I am just getting started.”