Teacher
Diagnosed with ABC in June 2018.
I teach in a primary school and the workload is heavy. We teach all subjects, have over 18 lessons a week and write lesson notes in all subjects.
As my health deteriorated, the pupils could see and would ask me questions, feel for me and show concern. I was not at work very regularly because of hospital appointments, days off for chemotherapy and its after-effects, an emergency sickness. When the pain on my spine became severe, the oncologist asked what kind of work I did. When I told her, she wrote to my place of work to relieve me of some workload due to my health situation. It was through this medical report that I got to know how bad my health condition was. Immediately, I was removed from the classroom to the inspectorate where I was given less work and where I was told to take my time and get well.
I currently work twice a week, occasionally three times. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic period also helped as I had no work for a very long time. I later discovered that my boss was very sympathetic and compassionate because his wife had breast cancer.
I was diagnosed in June 2018 with breast cancer and attended to it promptly. In September 2020, it had metastasised to my spine. A sad thing about having ABC is that no sooner have you solved one crisis than another comes – you have not finished buying one drug and then you need another.
The costs associated with my periodic medical reviews are unimaginable and a huge burden on me. Sometimes, I think I may not survive to the following week. Even walking can be a big problem. It is just up and down and sometimes one wonders, when will it come to an end – is it in death or in good health? All my money is spent on drugs and I am only living on God’s grace. I have not yet had money to buy one particular drug but, by next year (August 2022), if God keeps my life, I will be eligible to get a loan and buy it.
Nigeria
"The costs associated with my periodic medical reviews are unimaginable and a huge burden on me."
