Elizabeth Ugwoma Awo-Ejeh: Breaking the Silence – The Urgency of Education and Family Support in Cancer Battles
Elizabeth Ugwoma Awo-Ejeh, Advocate for Early Detection & Women’s Empowerment, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Breaking the Silence: The Urgency of Education and Family Support in Cancer Battles
Cancer is a difficult journey, and sadly, many women face not just the disease but also the stigma that comes with it. I’ve heard heartbreaking stories of wives being blamed for their illness—accused of infidelity or told that God punished them with cancer. It’s beyond painful to know that some families still believe such myths.
We’ve lost too many cancer patients, not to the illness itself, but to the emotional and psychological toll of stigma from their own families. The weight of abuse and harmful comments can be unbearable, and many can’t withstand it. I remember receiving calls from people telling me that the cancer came because I didn’t pray enough or stopped paying tithe at church. Imagine, at a time when you’re fighting for your life, people are blaming you instead of offering support or a prayer.
When I began my series, Breaking the Silence, to address the stigma surrounding breast cancer in Africa, I listened to stories of women struggling not just with their illness but with the shame imposed on them by society. It is clear we need to educate more people. Cancer doesn’t discriminate based on religion, tribe, or gender.
Family support during this journey is crucial, and its importance cannot be overstated. Rather than blame, let us stand beside those in their fight, offering love, hope, and strength. Because, in the end, cancer can happen to anyone. Together, through awareness and compassion, we can break the stigma and uplift those going through it.”
-
ESMO 2024 Congress
September 13-17, 2024
-
ASCO Annual Meeting
May 30 - June 4, 2024
-
Yvonne Award 2024
May 31, 2024
-
OncoThon 2024, Online
Feb. 15, 2024
-
Global Summit on War & Cancer 2023, Online
Dec. 14-16, 2023