Meet PORT HARCOURT Cancer Survivors

• How They Create Cancer Awareness

The mere mention of the dreaded cancer to many people will send shivers down  their spines.

Here in the Garden City of Port Harcourt majority of the high-profile citizens who survived this dreaded ailment called cancer have come out to tell the whole world their experiences and how to go about it should someone become a cancer patient. City People Magazine’s Port Harcourt Bureau Chief-Emeka Amaefula (+234(0)8111813069) here tells the story of the celebrities who survived Cancer and who have established Cancer awareness foundations.

SERGENT CHIDI AWUSE

Coming out with the story of how he survived Prostrate Cancer and how the news of the ailment shook him in 2015 he explained how he survived the cancer and how early discovery and quick response to seek for remedy saved  his life. And he called for the launching of Sergeant Awuse Cancer Awareness Foundation-Sacaf an event held at his Karena Hotels in 2020. At the event proper, he relayed how the immediate Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Ezenwo Wike assisted and visited him at his London Hospital where he went through several surgeries and chemotherapy sessions. This trained Chartered Accountant turned business mogul and top politician is a living example of a true cancer survivor as his moving story on his sojourn into the realities of life as a Prostrate Cancer patient to his full recovery from the ailment.

Today, His Eminence Eze Sergeant Chidi Awuse is the Chairman of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and a First-Class traditional Ruler of Emohua kingdom. He remains a formidable frontline politician in Rivers State haven contested for the office of Governor of Rivers State against political opponents like Dr. Peter Odili in 1999 but lost in the PDP Governorship Primary election.

1. ABIYE PRECIOUS SEKIBO

This University of Lagos trained Medical Doctor turned politician is someone who had occupied juicy political offices in Rivers State and in the Federal Government of Nigeria. First, he was appointed Secretary-To-Rivers State Government-SSG while Dr. Peter Odili was Governor of Rivers state and nominated as Minister of Transportation during the second term of President Olusegun Obasanjo. Few years ago he went for a Church Thanksgiving where he opened up on his miraculous survival of a dreaded ailment which kept off social circuit and his chilling experiences.

Today, Dr. Abiye Precious Sekibo remains a man who is a living example of Cancer Survivors in Rivers State.

1. ADAEZE ODILI-OREH

She is the first daughter of the former governor of Rivers State Sir. Dr. Peter Odili and being a University of Nigeria Nsukka trained Medical Doctor like her father Dr. Mrs. Adaeze Odili now Mrs. Adaeze Oreh Ndoni District Rivers State born ended up getting married in 2004 to her fellow alumni of UNN Electronic Engineer Patrick Oreh from Abia State and both are proud parents to two lovely children.

But after giving birth Dr. Adaeze Oreh observed a lump on her arm and never wasted time to go in for medical examination which turned out to be Hodgkin’s Lymphoma which is blood cancer now in an advanced stage two level. She loves her medical profession so much as she loves her life too. But while undergoing chemotherapy Dr. Adaeze Oreh never skipped her medical routine of attending to patients placed under her care for management. This is the highest level of display of duty of care to human life especially that of others.

In one of the numerous Press interviews she granted she told BusinessDay Newspaper her Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer experience as said “Every day I live in gratitude because about 17 years ago I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. This is a cancer of the blood, and primarily affects the lymph nodes which are like a drainage system within the body’s circulatory system. So here I was, a recently graduated doctor, had completed my house job, recently got married to the love of my life who I met in UNN, and had just had the most adorable baby daughter. When I first noticed the lumps under my arm, I thought it may have been because I wasn’t draining properly following poor positioning during exclusive breast-feeding. After more than 24 hours, the lumps were still there, and the medical doctor started thinking of likely causes. I then thought that perhaps it was tuberculosis because of several patients who I had managed prior to this, and so I started carrying out tests. Every colleague who saw my test results advised I go for a second opinion, and that got me really worried as my blood tests were off the charts. At this time, the swelling was no longer just under my arm alone, and after more invasive tests like biopsies of my lymph nodes and bone marrow, I was diagnosed with late-stage 2 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. This was especially devastating because around the same time, Lynden David Hall, a prominent British R & B singer had died from it. I asked myself what the odds were. This was a celebrity in the UK with access to the best of health care so what are my own chances? But I was able to dig down and hold on in faith that my own story would be different. Eventually, I had to start the treatment and of course stopped nursing my daughter to begin several months of chemotherapy. I lost my full head of hair, and even my eyelashes. So, I would like to say I was one of the early wig pioneers.

“This experience was towards the end of my youth service year, but I was adamant that I would continue working, and so, I would take the treatments on weekends, sleep through the effects of the chemotherapy and then be back at work on Monday. It was a very trying time, but I had substantial support from my family – my husband was incredible, and my parents and my siblings were amazing, basically standing in the gap and giving my daughter all the necessary care and attention. I would say she got a lot of love in those months and so I’m very thankful that I came out of that experience and survived. But one thing that it emphasised for me was that if I went through that ordeal given my profession, family background, and the resources that I had, what would be the fate of someone who did not have access to any of these? Because even before the treatment started, the rounds of investigations and tests that needed to be done were all paid out of pocket. For millions of Nigerians, they are just one diagnosis away from poverty or worsened poverty. So that moment solidified my commitment to improved access to basic, quality health care.

“To describe that feeling, I will tell you what happened months before I became cancer-free. Halfway through the chemotherapy, I was informed that suddenly my body was not responding to the treatments despite an initial response. If there was a point when I would have lost hope, this was certainly it. But somehow, again, I was able to call on God and say ‘Father, you initiated the process and progress up to this point, and nothing is too great for you.’ And so, I just left it and intensified my praise. At the end of my treatment, I was given an appointment to get the results, but the doctors were running really late, and I was getting impatient when I heard a voice in my spirit, “You are here to hear about my power and what I can do; just wait”. And then I just sat down and decided to be patient and wait. The doctor came out and said “Let’s go into the consulting room”. Again, the human mind – I wondered, “Why is he suddenly coming out to call me in? Why am I suddenly being escorted? Is he about to break some terrible news?” I had just pushed away those thoughts and questions when he said, “Dr Oreh you are in remission” I put my head down, tears dropped down my face, and I said “Father, I thank you.” That was all I could say because I knew it could only be God. I received 100% chemotherapy in Nigeria coupled with my Youth Service duties and an infant daughter. It is simply amazing what God can do when we put our faith in him.

“Across the country, there are people being diagnosed with cancer, even now as we speak. You can imagine the impact of what that diagnosis can have on a family, but from my experience, I think the most important thing is to just approach it with faith. I am truly grateful because the outcome could have been different, and I am thankful because I experienced the love of my family in a way I had never experienced before.

“When one finds themselves in such a vulnerable position – and I believe many of us have people going through similar experiences – you can never underestimate the power of that outstretched arm love and support from family, friends, even colleagues and community members that will help them soldier on through that difficulty.

“There is a greater appreciation that you have for yourself, for your body when you recover from something like that. It is very important that you treasure that temple of your body and do everything possible to make sure that you are eating right, doing the right things to take care of your body just in appreciation of that miracle that has happened, because cancer is something that is still being studied and researched. Despite the many advances in cancer management, many people have fallen from the disease, and so it is very important that those of us who have survived do not take our healing for granted. For me, I also regard survival as part of a bigger plan for humankind. For me, since my experience, I feel beholden to those who we know to be underserved – those on the fringes of society with minimal access to some of the necessities of life, health, and the social determinants of health. I, therefore, feel a personal responsibility to use my skills and training to do whatever is necessary to open doors of access for them for the things that will make their life better. Things like health care, education, and social development initiatives because I know that I was saved to do much more.

As a country, I believe that there is a reason why God made Nigeria so populous. Imagine the possibility of millions of people working to bring about positive change – so many possible heroes. Therefore, I am living a life of purpose. One thing that emerges from a lot of people who have had similar experiences to mine is that recollection, that remembrance that we were saved for a higher purpose.”

Today, Dr. Adaeze Oreh runs a foundation where she is the Executive Director of Kaibeya Care Foundation which is her way of giving back to the society. This is targeted at improvement of health, education and empowerment of women and the vulnerable members of the society especially those in the rural communities.

SUZETTE NYESOM WIKE

No one believed it until the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Ezebunwo Wike while at a Thanksgiving Service at his village after having left office told the Congregants and well-wishers and friends that himself is a survivor of a strange ailment. This problem took him to Beirut, Lebanon where his major body organs including liver and others got entangled but repaired by Doctors prior to his second term Governorship campaign trail in 2018/2019. At the same venue Nyesom Wike revealed how in 2022 he was at his botched 2023 Presidential Primary election organized by Peoples democratic Party, PDP at Abuja and his wife Honourable Justice Suzette Eberechi Wike revealed to him that she had cancer.

Based on this revelation it could be recalled that the former Rivers State Governor while in office constructed a Cancer Diagnostic Centre known as Dr. Peter Odili Cardiovascular and Cancer Diagnostic Centre Rumuepirikom, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State cited few meters away from his ancestral home. Again, Rivers Ethics a Pet Project of Honourable Justice Suzette Wike remains another mass enlightenment avenue to reach out to people of Nigeria on awareness on purposeful living with expertise advice from professionals including those in healthcare management.

BOMA SUSAN BANJO

She is the pretty looking Chief Executive Officer of Garnet Bistro Lounge, Signature Couture and numerous subsidiaries with office along Khana Street D/Line axis of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Miss Boma Susan Banjo is a grand child to Ndoni born High Chief (Mrs.) Adaobi Whyte nee Odili being a relation to the former Governor of Rivers state Dr. Peter Odili. Miss Boma Banjo is a graduate of University of Port Harcourt where she bagged a degree in Psychology specializing in Guidance and Counselling. She is a survivor of stage 2, breast cancer which began in 2018 to 2019 and after undergoing chemotherapy she did engage in writing about her experience in a book she entitled “And Cancer Came Calling” which she launched in 2021 at Port Harcourt after Church Thanksgiving service at House On The Rock located at Sanni Abacha Road GRA Phase 3, Port Harcourt Rivers State. Today, this beautiful resourceful hard-working lady has established THE BOMA CANCER FOUNDATION in honour of her surviving stage 2 breast cancer. She pays more attention to creating awareness on breast cancer where she helps victims have access to treatment and using her acquired academic skill in Counselling as a Psychologist, she encourages breast cancer fighters and their families to face the realities and seek remedies where needed. She is a member of the Army of David Partners, House On The Rock Church Port Harcourt, Army of David Partners is a Ministry arm of the church that organizes charitable outreaches that engage in Free Medical and Health screening and awareness programmes one of such outings got Miss Boma Susan banjo’s stage 2 Breast Cancer detected by Physicians.

INIME AGUMA

The current National President of Federation of Female Lawyers-FIDA in Nigeria and second term Commissioner in Rivers State Honourable Barrister (Mrs.) Inime Aguma before her appointment remained wife of former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice late Emmanuel Chinwenwo Aguma SAN. She represented Honourable Justice Suzette Eberechi Wike during the Book launch on And Cancer Came Calling written by Miss Boma Susan Banjo while making her speech on behalf of the then Rivers State First Lady she told the guests that she is a cancer survivor not to the astonishment of the assemblage of who’s who in Rivers State because the occasion actually called for such testimonies to support the mood of survival, from the dreaded ailment. She was Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation during former Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike’s administration and she is now serving as Commissioner in the current administration of Siminialaye Joseph Fubara.