Move Against Cancer Africa | October 2025
Every October, the world turns pink to spotlight a disease that affects millions of women globally. But behind the ribbons, campaigns, and statistics are real women with real stories, stories of courage, pain, resilience, and survival.
This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Move Against Cancer Africa (MACA) amplifies the voices of two survivors, Kosi and Elizabeth (popularly known as Dutchess Lizzy), who faced breast cancer head-on and emerged stronger. Their journeys illuminate the power of early detection, advocacy, and support in beating breast cancer.
Their stories remind us that early detection saves lives, support from family and friends imbue strength and that survivors exist, and do overcome.
🌸Their Journeys: From Fear to Fight
A Medical Laboratory scientist, mother, and cancer advocate, Kosi first noticed a prickly sensation in her breast, something slightly unusual but impossible to ignore. Upon self-examination, she discovered a tiny lump measuring about 1 cm. Her scientific knowledge kicked in, she took a sample, tested herself, and sought medical confirmation immediately. The diagnosis was breast cancer – stage 1. Her swift response led to a timely mastectomy and an excellent treatment outcome.
Her biggest challenge wasn’t the pain, it was spending six months away in Lagos for treatment, separated from her beloved children who constantly asked, “Mummy, when are you coming home?”. She eventually returned, it became, “Mummy, when will your breast grow back?”. But strong family ties and spousal support carried her through.
Today, she stands tall, saying, “Cancer gave me purpose now, I advocate so others can survive too.”
For Elizabeth, a young music minister and new wife, the journey was harder. After a traumatic miscarriage in 2021, she discovered a lump that her first doctor dismissed without investigation, with this statement, “Disabuse your mind. Go home to your family.”
No suspicion or tests a missed opportunity for early detection. The lump grew, discharged blood, and became unbearably painful. Another scan falsely declared it non-cancerous. Only after a biopsy, two months later, was cancer confirmed.
The diagnosis crushed her. Nothing prepares a young woman for such news. Treatment costs were overwhelming. The extended family pushed for herbal alternatives. But her husband refused to leave her side, even canceling a court appearance the day of the diagnosis, saying: “Whatever it is, we will fight it together.”
Her lowest moment? Losing a friend to cancer in the hospital was a painful reminder of what was at stake. Her strongest motivation was countless people who drew strength from her openness and advocacy, while on a hospital bed receiving treatment.
Life After Survival: A Story of Purpose and Power
Both women have emerged from the storm with renewed strength and a deeper sense of purpose. For Kosi, cancer did more than challenge her; it transformed her. She found her true calling in patient advocacy, using her voice and experience to inspire hope across nations. As she powerfully affirmed, “Cancer gave me purpose.” Her journey continues to unfold in extraordinary ways. On October 30th, she travelled to Tunisia on an all-expenses-paid trip to champion patient advocacy, with another advocacy mission awaiting her in the United States this December. Truly, God rewards in beautiful and unexpected ways. Most importantly, Kosi has been blessed with a child after completing her treatment, a living testimony for countless women who fear that cancer marks the end of motherhood. Her story boldly declares that hope lives on, and that joy can bloom again after the darkest seasons.
Elizabeth found her voice- literally and figuratively “Cancer has given me a voice, I no longer live for me but for others.” She completed her university exams and continues to sing, inspire, and educate thousands online.
They are not victims. They are victors, symbols of hope that breast cancer is not a death sentence.
A Call to Action
Breast cancer caught early is highly treatable. Caught late, it becomes a race against time. What does their story tell us?
- Know your body, act on any unusual change, stop saying “God forbid!” Cancer can happen to anyone,
- Conduct a monthly self-breast examination; book a screening if you notice any change,
- Early detection improves survival and reduces cost; always visit a hospital to seek a second opinion,
- Healthcare workers must maintain a high index of suspicion, and a biopsy is essential when a lump is detected, even if a scan appears normal,
- Encourage another woman, another girl, to check herself, share survivor stories to inspire hope.
Join us as we champion awareness, advocacy, and access to life-saving screening services, because every woman deserves a chance to survive and thrive.
Together, We Move Against Cancer. 🎀
Share this story. It may save a life.
#MoveAgainstCancerAfrica
#ScreeningSavesLives #PinkOctoberStories
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth #HerStoryHerStrengthOurFight
#EarlyDetectionIsKey #TogetherWeMoveAgainstCancer
Written by: Dr Abiodun Egwuenu, Mrs Ogechukwu Akabuike, Miss Gbemi Ojole
