Betty, Ghana
On the 05/05/2019. My life changed forever. I was diagnosed of a Stage IV Primary Mediastinal B Cell lymphoma, a type of blood cancer and had barely 2 weeks to live since the cancer had spread to the lungs and other vital organs. I had a 14cm tumor in mediasterium sitting on my heart causing it not to function properly. In Ghana, Cancer diagnosis is more like a death sentence so this news was very devastating to me and my family. I've had my last born some few months ago and was still breastfeeding. As an administrator of a new school which had started making good name in academic field and in the community.... everything just came to a standstill for me. Yes, my world just changed like that. Months before my diagnosis, I was often in and out of hospital for chest pains, dry cough, general body weakness and high heart rate... my condition kept on detoriating and no cough mixture and antibiotics could take away the dry cough I was experiencing and the chest pains were so unbearable. I lost so much weight because I couldn’t eat well, I couldn’t swallow too since I passed out whenever I tried to swallowing even my pain medication pills.
By God's divine intervention I got to India and started treatment of 6 cycles of R-EPOCH Chemotherapy... The treatment period wasn't a smooth one at all. I had some few complications but by God's grace, I sailed through.... I made some friends during the course of my treatment but unfortunately, most of them are not alive now. Fighting Cancer doesn't end with treatment but the greater fight begins after treatment... battling with long term side effects, emotional and psychological effects.
I'm thankful for the dedicated Medical staff at HCG, Bangalore that attended to me. I am very grateful to my family for their strong support throughout this period and also to my friends who are always praying for me and encouraging me.
Now, I've dedicated my life to advocate on cancer and also support cancer patients emotionally as they go through their journey. There's very little awareness on cancer in my country which makes it difficult for cancer patients and their families or caregivers for them to know the type of disease they're dealing with. I'm always happy when I talk to others about cancer and also see cancer patients get motivated to fight on whenever I share my story with them.
To everyone who has been diagnosed with cancer, know that cancer is not a death sentence.... There’s life after cancer. Cancer diagnosis may turn your life upside down but don't give up, have faith and fight hard. You’re a warrior and you can beat cancer with a positive will power to stay alive... You're an overcomer so Don't give up, you can also make a difference.💪🏽