Inspirational Stories

I’m from Ghana, and I am a stage 4 nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma (NSHL) survivor! I was diagnosed in October 2018 right after my undergraduate diploma. Before being diagnosed, I was misdiagnosed for almost a year as the symptoms started in 2017 when I was still in school. Unfortunately, some doctors missed it, and others also tried to disregard my symptoms. As a result of the misdiagnosis, the cancer advanced from the early stages to an advanced stage where my bone marrow was infiltrated. When I was diagnosed, I felt a bit relieved because I knew what was wrong with me at last after looking for answers for months.

The worst part about being diagnosed with cancer in my part of the world was the inability to get a PET scan because there are no machines in Ghana. We were told to go to other countries to get a PET scan done, but I could not because of financial constraints. So, doctors relied on other tests. Also, in my opinion, the hardest part of chemotherapy was having to lose my hair not once but twice because, after aggressive chemo (ABVD) for six months, I relapsed after three months. So, I had to undergo another cycle of chemotherapy (COPP) for three months. My education and life, in general, were put on hold because I was constantly at the hospital and so sick almost every day.

I woke up one day and decided to find a purpose in what I was going through by volunteering for a local NGO that supports poor parents with children battling cancer. Being a part of the NGO and putting smiles on the faces of kids dealing with cancer gave me fulfillment and also inspired me to be positive in fighting my battle to get well to help as many as I could in my country and the world at large. Throughout my journey, I must say that I had the most incredible and amazing support from my family, the only people who knew what I was going through.

On January 17, 2020, I heard the best news ever when my doctors told me I was in remission, and I was scheduled for a review every three months. I am 34 months in remission, yay! After cancer, I went back to school to pursue my bachelor's degree, and I recently graduated. I am planning to move on to the next stage of my education. Cancer taught me empathy, resilience in the face of adversity, and determination.  Going through cancer made me a better person. Now I believe life is more about humanity, and I have taken helping others as my sole ministry.