Sophie Lichaba says it pained her to see people body shamming the late Chadwick Boseman

Actress and television host Sophie Lichaba née Ndaba has spoken out against people body shamming late US actor Chadwick Boseman.

The “Black Panther” star who passed away last Friday after a four year battle with colon cancer, was recently ridiculed after posting a video commemorating Jackie Robinson’s Day.

In the video clip that was posted on his Instagram page, slim-looking Boseman was seen hailing his hero Robinson, and while some expressed their concern for the star’s drastic weight loss, many mocked him. Lichaba says she can relate to Boseman’s pain of being ridiculed.

The former “Generations” actress has been a victim of a Twitter death hoax; for many years internet trolls mocked her for her weight loss; and people making assumptions about her health.

Lichaba, who lives with diabetes, took to Facebook on Wednesday and shared a picture of Boseman with a caption: “We need to think look at ourselves n focus on that. Your attitude determines your altitude in your life. It determines your true personality!

She added: “Never look down on anyone and you don’t know their battle, their struggle, their story. Boseman, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2016, kept his illness a secret, until his passing.

Fans around the world learnt about the diagnosis when his family announced his death saying that he had been battling colon cancer for four years.

“Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV, ”read the statement.

In an Instagram post, two years ago, Lichaba set the record straight about her health.

“Living with diabetes doesn’t mean my life must stop. It means I will fight to live and encourage those who already are suffering from this deadly disease,” she said at the time.

Lichaba, who lost her parents to diabetes, said she was an ambassador for people living with diabetes. The “Lockdown” star has been living with diabetes for over five years.