Adesuwa Onyenokwe reveals how her mother, siblings were diagnosed with cancer

Today (February 4) is world cancer day and one of the first things I read this morning was of a possible cure!

And guess from where? One woman and two men have performed an experiment that saw the active ingredient in a simple malaria drug, Artesunate, killing 100% cancer properties in a tissue taken out of a suffered lungs.

Malaria drug ke? Who would have known

It just reminds me of the choice of David by God of the seven strapping sons of his father to be made king of Israel. Small but mighty. Is that what artesunate will become? The little ‘man’ that pulls down the almighty cancer that’s dreaded.

Well while the world waits for the test to be done on actual patients and a cure is pronounced, I feel for cancer patients around the world.

I have family and friends who have gone down with it, or are suffering from it and I have an inkling of the pain of helplessness that comes with it. My older brother went down with T cell Lymphoma eight years ago. Five years ago my younger sister had a brush with breast cancer.

Last year my 82-year-old mother found a lump in her breast that was diagnosed as malignant. I felt it so unfair that a woman who should spend her final years in peace enjoying, would be going through this. But as we rally round to help her come to terms with it and the solutions we have chosen, I say may God’s will be done. But like I always say what could have been done to prevent this?

You know what? I have quit asking questions. I am choosing to just BE and so I here ask all those going through the pain of cancer whether as patients or those who care for them that they should just BE…

Hard as it may be there is ALWAYS something good in all circumstances.

My brother died. But His death opened our eyes to the need to be more in touch and we have tried. My sister is living the fifth year cancer free after her diagnosis, and my mum’s condition forced us all to get together and take collective decisions on the care she should get. The key word in all of this is that the PAIN brought us to our senses…

I have shared this because one young Mentee, Omobola sent me a what’s app message saying, “Today is #WorldCancerDay. U can share photos educating people or telling them to have a regular breast self exam or pap smear test or colonoscopy for the men… If you’re skilled in writing or poetry, you could pull something together to encourage a cancer patient today..anything would do”

Thank you Mobola for this. Who knows which cancer patient out there will find some connection that will in some way lessen their pain… I hope so.

Check your breasts, My sister and my mum have a chance because they did. Get smear tests! Men check your prostates regularly once you turn 50! Get regular check ups! Catching it early improves survival.

Adesuwa Onyenokwe is the Publisher & Editor In Chief of Today’s Woman Magazine (Credit:Adesuwa Onyenokwe)