Woman, 40, seeks help for papillary thyroid cancer treatment

MEETING Mosunmola Truth Afegbua the first time would definitely reveal to well-observant people that she is battling an ailment. She looks frail, and could hardly be heard when she speaks.

However, when she narrated her ordeal, one would be moved to tears on her plight, and how she had gone from a robust young lady to one who now looks so frail.

Afegbua is battling papillary thyroid cancer, and her hope of preventing the cancerous cells from becoming full-blown lies with sympathetic Nigerians who will be willing to assist her in her treatment at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State.

In 2010, the 40-year-old fashion designer felt a lump as tiny as a peanut seed in her throat, but didn’t take it seriously.

“It wasn’t painful, but anytime I wanted to swallow anything, I felt it, and that was how I went to the General Hospital at Agege, Lagos, where I was referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

“At LASUTH, it was diagnosed as goitre, and I was billed for a surgery, but then, I was pregnant and I was told I couldn’t do it with the pregnancy, as I would also not be able to use certain drugs with the pregnancy.

“However, by 2015, it was now very swollen, until I had the surgery at LASUTH in 2016,” Afegbua said.

On why it took her that long before she went for the surgery after the birth of her child, but she said she had no money for the surgery.

“In fact, around 2014, my husband suddenly changed towards me, and I noticed he was having extra- marital affairs.

“He finally moved out of the house in 2015, and left me to bear the burden of my medical condition, as well as taking care of our child.

“However, after the surgery at LASUTH, I was referred to the UCH in Ibadan for continuous treatment, and it was there that it was discovered that the goitre had turned cancerous, and I need about N882,500 for further treatment at the Nuclear Medicine Centre of the UCH,’ Afegbua said.

Unfortunately, there is no way she could raise the amount, having sold her six expensive tailoring machines to fund the first surgery at LASUTH.

“I spent over N1million for my treatment at LASUTH, and after selling my personal belongings, I began reaching out to people for assistance.

“Now, for the new treatment, I have nothing left which I can sell to enable me raise the money; I have sold all I had.”

According to her, her husband, who was also supposed to support her during her time of trial,

abandoned her to her fate, leaving her to care for their only child.

“I had two children but one of them died, leaving me with the only child,” she said, adding that her last hope lies only in sympathetic Nigerians who can assist her with the treatment.

Even apart from the specific money needed for the treatment, she also needs more financial support so she can resuscitate her fashion-designing business in order to her take care of herself and her child.

“I plead with Nigerians to come to my aid; those who assisted me during the first surgery also have their families, and I can’t continue disturbing them.

“I know Nigerians are sympathetic people, and somehow, people will come to my aid and assist me in my time of trial,” Afegbua said.

Anyone desirous of assisting Afegbua can send the donations to: Afegbua Mosunmola, First Bank: 3115982931. She can also be reached on phone on 08036965746