How I overcame cancer – 12-year survivor

…limited Cancer fund stalls access to care

The lump had been a recurring nuisance, a familiar visitor under her arm.  Each time it swelled, Imaobong Andrew-Essien would visit the local chemist, drain it, take the antibiotics, and repeat the cycle.  The nurse, weary of seeing her, advised against further visits, dismissing it as a frequent, and annoying inconvenience.

Then, one ordinary day, while showering, her hand brushed against something new – a hard, unfamiliar lump.  Fear gripped her.  Her husband, equally alarmed, urged an immediate hospital visit.

The doctor told her: “You’re not going home. This is serious.”

The diagnosis: breast cancer.  Stage two, the doctor explained, the cells already beginning their insidious spread.  A whirlwind of emotions – fear, disbelief, anger – threatened to consume her.

The doctor’s stark prognosis – two years – hung over her like a death sentence but amid the darkness, a spark of defiance ignited.  They would fight.

The next few years were a blur of hospital visits, surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.  Chemotherapy, with its devastating side effects, was a brutal ordeal.  Hair loss, brittle bones, constant nausea, debilitating fatigue – her body was a battlefield.

Yet, through it all, her spirit remained unbroken.  Her husband, her rock, armed himself with scriptures, his voice a soothing balm against her fear.  He reminded her constantly, “You will make it.”  His unwavering belief became her anchor.

The love and support of her family and friends were a lifeline.  They showered her with affection, boosting her self-esteem even when she felt her beauty had been stolen by the disease.

Her children’s unwavering faith in her recovery fueled her own.  She learned to embrace the power of positive thinking, and to see her mind as a “seed of recovery.”

The journey was long and arduous.  From diagnosis in August 2013 to the start of treatment in 2014, to the gruelling eight rounds of chemotherapy, to the slow, painstaking recovery that stretched into 2015 and beyond, it took nearly four years.

Memory loss, a cruel side effect of the treatment, added another layer of challenge. But slowly, painstakingly, she rebuilt her life.  Three-month checkups became six-month, then annual.

Twelve years later, she stood as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, sharing her inspiring journey on Channel Morning with the programme with other Nigerians facing a similar ordeal.

Now, Andrew Essien’s message to other women facing this daunting diagnosis is clear: “Your life is in your hands.”

She urges them to reject self-pity and embrace a fighting spirit.  “Take it as a business,” she advises.

“The healing depends on you.”  Faith, prayer, and the unwavering belief that recovery is possible are her guiding principles.

She acknowledges the crucial role of conventional treatment, but emphasises that ultimately, “only God can heal cancer.”

Her story, a beacon of hope in the face of a devastating disease, is a powerful reminder that even in the darkest of times, the human spirit can triumph.  And for those navigating life after cancer, she embodies the possibility of a full and vibrant life, a life lived with gratitude and purpose.

Cancer care

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer shows, delayed treatment could raise Nigeria’s cancer mortality rates by 125 per cent to 190,000 by 2050, with women bearing the brunt.

The incidence of cancer in Nigeria is expected to grow from 130,000 in 2o22 to 300,000 by 2050 as breast, cervical, and colorectum cancers make up the top frequent cancers in women.

Usman Aliyu, director-general of the National Institute of Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) speaking on the 2025 World Cancer Day theme, “United by Unique,” emphasized the need for personalised cancer care due to each patient’s unique experience.

He advocated for a holistic approach, treating the person before the patient.

However, he acknowledged the significant challenge of limited resources, citing the ratio of one oncologist to 1,800 patients in Nigeria, exacerbated by the “Japa syndrome” also known as brain drain.

Despite this, the speaker highlights government efforts, including doubling the number of functional cancer treatment centres and procuring six new treatment machines.

The National Institute for Cancer is also providing free screening services in six geopolitical zones and acquiring more equipment, including nuclear medicine and linear accelerators, he said.

He explained that the free screening program is currently available in six centres across the country and is accessible to indigent patients who meet certain criteria.

These initiatives aim to improve access to care and retain oncologists by providing better infrastructure.

Aliyu also discussed the Cancer Access Program, comprising the Cancer Health Fund for indigent patients and an MOU with pharmaceutical companies to provide discounted chemotherapy and targeted therapies.

He acknowledged the limited funding for the Cancer Health Fund and expressed hope for increased funding to expand the programme’s reach.

“What we got for the Cancer Health Fund from the budget was N200 million. So, it was minimal and it was out of the wisdom of the Federal Ministry of Health and the NICRAT manages this fund. The amount that we had to treat cancers in the pilot covered breast, cervical, and prostate cancer and we limited it to these six centres. We hope that if we got better funding this year, we are going to open the programme to include virtually all the tertiary hospitals in the states,” Aliyu said.

The director-general also describes a phased approach to improving cancer care, including primary healthcare centres as feeders, general hospitals as sub-hubs, and specialised centres of excellence.

He emphasised the need for a robust referral system to connect patients with appropriate care.