Tales from Cancer Survivors
A cancer diagnosis is a devastating moment in one's life and it is no less terrible for those in a position of supporting a cancer sufferer. To help cancer sufferers get better care, members of a support group, a forum of cancer survivors managed by Care,
It was a familiar account. Those who gathered last Thursday morning at the training room of Care, Organisation, Public Enlightenment (COPE), a frontline non-governmental organisation focusing on breast cancer issues in the country had same mind. They were out for a cause: Cancer eradication. From one survivor to the other, the tales will naturally bring tears to one’s eyes. But for them, the essence of their stories wasn’t about pity; it was about helping others to survive.
For instance, one of the survivors, Della Ogunleye, 53, who brought some mastectomy bras from England to donate to breast cancer survivors in Nigeria, said cancer has changed her orientation about life and it has improved her eating habit. She survived without support, but she believed with support there will be more survivors.
She narrated her ordeal: "When I was told I had cancer, I was not afraid because I had little or no knowledge of the disease.
“I was having pains in my breast so I decided to visit the hospital. Then, I thought it was the white people's disease until I was diagnosed. I was due for a wedding in Nigeria at that time, so I was more occupied with my plans to come to Nigeria, because I already paid for my flight ticket. I wasn't afraid because I never knew what cancer was then.
"When they said they were going to cut off my breast, I responded that they should cut it and let me travel for the wedding. The surgery was successful and I came to Nigeria for the wedding."
But when Ogunleye started chemotherapy, she felt like she was out of this world. It was then she knew that cancer was not child's play. "Chemo is the killer. Chemo was when I knew I had cancer. I was on my own," she explained.
Ogunleye lamented the many temptations and challenges she faced saying, "when you have cancer people will run away. There will be nobody to stand by you. I did not have a support group and I have never come across the black people having cancer before I started DDS Cancer Support Group strictly for black people. Then, I wanted to see how an African survives cancer. It was difficult.
"I was the only black person among all the white people. Since then I have been speaking out about the need for support group for people living with cancer."
For her, the journey was so lonely and painful, "Sometimes you just want someone to be with you, to talk to, but people don't understand. I was so depressed which is the effect of chemo. Cancer is nothing but the treatment of cancer that is the real thing.
"Even after cutting my breast I met someone and we got married. It is the experience of the chemo that kills people. It is not just the cancer itself," she said.
And now she’s on a better diet. "Today I feel good, I am now looking after myself. I am now conscious of myself. I now exercise. Even one of my sisters in London told me cancer 'did me good.' It is like a new chapter in my life. God has given me a second chance; maybe things have gone wrong. I take life easy. I don't stress or shout. I take things easy. It is a new life and a new beginning," she stated.
Another survivor, Kate Ugwu said she had survived for nine years and healthy living has been a routine part of her life as well. "I decided to stay healthy. I take a lot of supplements. Some they call antioxidants. I make myself happy and talk to people around me if there is anything bothering me. I am not giving depression a chance."
Ugwu said she discovered she had breast cancer after her 40th birthday. The affected breast was later removed, but she remains courageous in the fight against cancer.
“I fought breast cancer with determination and I thank God I did not die. I can tell you that a lot of cancer patients had died simply because of depression and not cancer. Though I felt so weak during the first week that the news came to me, but I picked up courage as my family and people who have benefitted from me were there to assist me.
"I decided on my own. I got some medical people that are closed to me. I told them to remove the lump right away. Immediately the remove the lump I took it to the lab and when the result came out I was sad. The doctors did radical mastectomy and the whole breast was removed.
"I spent well over a N1 million to do 10 courses of chemotherapy. It was terrible; I sourced for funds, borrowed money because it is not something you say, oh, I will do it when I have money.”
She added: "Every three weeks I have to get it. I wasn't given any blood transfusion. The doctors said I have beaten their medical record, because nobody who has gone through chemotherapy for 10 times would not require a pint of blood. I started taking blood supplements and I was fine. During that time a lot of people died of depression. Students aged 18 years were dying of depression. My Bible was my comforter all through.
"After five years I went for another screening and we saw another lump on the other breast and I was scared to the marrow. Immediately, I did it like the first one, it was a very big lump, It was removed and fortunately after four weeks they said it was not cancerous.
"I was happy and since then, everyday means a lot for me. I decided to stay healthy. I take a lot of supplements.
I am no longer on drugs. I was told that I was going to take a particular drug for five years, but I said I would not need it because most people taking it are complaining that the drug is worsening their situation. Again, because that drug is too expensive I decided that the money should be used for supplements."
Ugwu’s regret however lies in the fact that Nigerian women suffering cancer keep it to themselves and often come up late.
"Under this support group, people are getting assistance. People that cannot pay, the organisation is helping them to take treatment. If cancer patients are being taken