Adekemi Oyewusi: Despite the wonderful time at the WCC, it was overshadowed by the loss of Chloe

Adekemi Oyewusi posted the following on LinkedIn:

“Despite the wonderful and eventful time I had at the 2024 World Cancer Congress (WCC)-Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), it was overshadowed by a tragic event, the loss of Chloe. Chloe was the daughter of Jean Nabaasa, one of the volunteers at this year’s World Cancer Congress from Uganda. Chloe had ‘Bilateral Wilms Tumor’ and was undergoing treatment when Jean traveled to the WCC to present her abstract on the ‘Lived Experience of a Mother to a Child with Pediatric Cancer’. Unfortunately, Jean had to leave the congress on the 18th after receiving a devastating call on the 17th, the second day of the event, informing her that Chloe had passed away.

Thanks to one of the volunteers, a Good Samaritan, who kindly assisted in paying for her flight change back home. And in Jean’s words, ‘My world has collapsed.’

I had met Jean just moments before she received the devastating news. She had kindly taken a photo of Moses Echodu and myself while we were discussing the challenges in Africa as childhood cancer survivors. Jean shared Chloe’s ongoing battle with cancer, and we had an inspiring and hopeful conversation together, unaware that Chloe would never hear of it.

I dedicated my session to Chloe, holding back tears on the podium as the shock of her passing weighed heavily on me. To me, Jean is a survivor. As she continues to live on, taking care of Chloe’s siblings and serving as a beacon of hope for survivors and caregivers alike.

It is my hope and wish that Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) will honor Chloe and all the remarkable individuals like her at the 2026 WCC, and that Africans and others will offer their support to Jean in any way possible, as she continues to care for Chloe’s siblings and support for other children battling cancer.

Additionally, I encourage everyone to visit the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) portal to read Jean’s abstract, leave a comment, like and share it. Though Jean couldn’t present it herself, your support would mean the world to her.

N:B: This post has been made with Jean’s approval. If you would like to reach out to her, please message me for her contact details. Thank you, and may God bless you all.”

Source: Adekemi Oyewusi/LinkedIn

Adekemi Oyewusi is the TMO Project Coordinator at OneHealth and previously worked as a Project Management Specialist at Beamco Nig. Ltd. As a cancer survivor and advocate, she is committed to giving children with cancer a second chance.