Hello Air-Clinicians and friends,

We will like to introduce you all to the FIRST #AIR-CLINIC WEEKLY WRITING CONTEST. We are going to explore the dangerous topic of CANCER in details from the eyes of all our experiences. We are giving us all a chance to tell our stories.

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This disease is a scourge that have left many families bitter from the feeling of losing a loved one. It doesn't leave out the young because it attacks regardless of age. We have seen children die at an early age of 2-3yrs. You think you are safe because you are a certain gender? No! Men die from it; women suffer from it as well. Celebrities and the affluent are scourged just like the poor. Infact, no one is safe.

Many scientific experiments to find a single cure for all cancers have failed because they come in so many forms. They even kill people by different methods. Most times, the medications used for treating this severe ailment (chemotherapy) leave many people wasted and depreciating. Weight loss, Hair loss, discoloration of hair and nails, lowering of blood cell counts etcz are the frequent side effects which leave patients like a ghost of their former self.

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This story is straight from the heart as told by Dr. GEORGE aka @nairadaddy

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A few years ago while I was doing my medical internships I met a woman admitted to the hospital. She had the commonest cancer that women suffer from. Which is breast cancer? To make matters worse, it was already in the late stages with ulcerated mass on her chest and an open wound. So sad.

She came pretty ill. Her kids rushed her on an ambulance to that hospital and we started managing her case. It was a battle for life. You see the common mistakes people make include not seeking healthcare in due time. Once you feel any symptom, don't wait. Seek a doctor's advice about the ailment. This woman had already been to traditional healing houses, prayer houses, churches, herbalists etc but she left out the most important; HOSPITAL. So back to my story.

After running some tests we found out that her blood cells were pretty low. So we had to transfuse her blood. About 5 pints (bags) of blood entered this woman (not on same day though) until she started regaining herself little by little. What caught my attention, was her friendliness. She was very positive and bantered freely with me. I had to do everything I could to help save her. We knew she was a time bomb waiting to explode so we had to do something to detonate the cancer cells.

First we had to operate and remove the cancer tissues. The breast mass was already dirty and oozing poignant fluids with odour. But we still did our best. After that we had to start her on chemotherapy quick because her life depended on it. Well, usually before you start a patient on chemo (or surgery), you have to make sure that all the blood indices are up to par. SO we made sure of all that by giving her red cells, white cells, platelets even clotting factors. Just to keep her ready for treatment.

Everything was now optimum and we started Chemo. Withing 6 weeks of chemo the woman was emaciating badly again. She lost weight, sunken eyes, life was disappearing from her eyes. We had to start the cycle of transfusion and chemo again.

Well, after about 6 months of "torture", she gave up the ghost. It wasn't so much the healthcare provider's fault, but she came late. Too late for anyone to do anything reasonable. Just too late. The breast cancer was already in Stage 5. The pastors and the herbalists didn't do the proper thing of advicing her to go to the hospital.

One thing I particularly remember about her was her positive energy. Even in her last days, she still had a very positive outlook on life and was even telling us the healthcare providers to take care of ourselves. I also remember her young daughter who was very vibrant. She was like the soldier standing in guard against death taking her mum. Unlike her elder brother, she was the man. She never cried when mama passed on and was even consoling the brother.

Amidst all this. I BLAME CANCER ITSELF for killing the woman.

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SO TELL US YOUR OWN STORY? Do you know anyone who has died from Cancer? Maybe your neighbour, your friend or even a family member. Tell us how it happened from your own perspective and get a chance to WIN SBD.

MODALITIES:

• TOTAL PRIZE: $10 SBD
• TOPIC: CANCER, A DANGEROUS SCOURGE
• FORM OF CONTEST:

WRITE A STORY (Fiction & Non-Fiction) ABOUT CANCER
LENGTH: 250-350 words
QUALITY: Must be standard with spelling checks, grammar checks, expressive language and well-edited with markdown.
MAKE A POST ON YOUR BLOG WITH THE TITLE OF YOUR CHOICE.
TAGS: #AIR-CLINIC, #STACH
USE OUR BANNER below.
RESTEEM THIS POST.
COMMENT THE POST LINK BELOW
DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY 12:00midnight GMT

• JUDGES: @ejemai, @nairadaddy, @thelovejunkie
• DISTRIBUTION: $5, $3 & $2 SBD to the 1st, 2nd & 3rd Positions. THE REWARDS WILL INCREASE AS THE CONTEST GAINS TRACTION.

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This is going to be a regular feature of #AIR-CLINIC. So keep a date with us every Saturday.

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GOODLUCK!

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