For Gladys Nkechi Okere, 40, the difference between living and dying is measured not in hope, but in raising N5 million for a life preserving procedure against aggressive breast cancer.

A devoted and hardworking member of the Abuja Newspaper Distributors Agents Association (ANDA), Gladys, once known for her consistency’ rising early daily to set up her business and contribute to her community, has since stopped work and put her survival from breast cancer above everything else.

For Gladys, a devoted member of ANDA in Lugbe, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (FCTA), life has taken a cruel turn. Once known for her consistency, Gladys is now battling the breast cancer, a life-threatening illness .

Her family home In Lugbe, in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja (FCTA) tells the story of a family pushed to the very edge. The battle is not just against breast cancer, which has ravaged Gladys’ body, but also against the abject poverty that denies her access to treatment.

Poverty has stripped this family of dignity. Sometimes neighbors offer food so they do not starve; sometimes, Gladys’ colleagues at the newsstand contribute small amounts so she can buy her drugs, yet, each day without proper treatment brings her closer to the unthinkable.

Each day is a battle – for food, for dignity, for the chance to buy time, and as the bills pile up, the family’s hope grows thinner, however, their plea grows louder.

“I’m a vendor, and I have been doing the job for almost 25 years,” Gladys stated in an encounter with Vanguard.

“I have a family, I’m a mother of four boys, the eldest is 15, the others are aged 12, 11, and nine. I have been battling breast cancer for two years now.

“My husband is unemployed; he has not been working for a long time because he is helping me to cope with this illness. We are barely surviving, just existing.”

From newspaper stand to hospital bed

The journey began in 2023, when Gladys was first told she had cancer of the right breast. Ever since, the family has been running from pillar to post.

“When I first noticed the swelling in my right breast, what began as a small lump soon became a dark storm over my life.”

A scan report from Wuse District Hospital in Abuja detailed: “A multilocular mass was found in the right breast, extending toward the axillary region with noticeable distortion in the breast tissue structure, especially in the lower right quadrant.

It queried swollen lymph nodes observed in the right armpit, and a mammogram was advised to obtain clearer imaging of the breast tissue even as a biopsy was recommended.

Shocking scan results

Optimistic of a hopeful outcome, the result of the follow-up scan at Jenny-Glo Hospitals, Abuja confirmed diagnosis of early stage Invasive Ductal Carcinoma of the right breast. This type of cancer, classified triple-negative is aggressive.

The result of investigation at the at Wuse District Hospital, raised further suspicion for malignancy. A radiology report indicated the mass was located in the lower quadrant of the right breast.

The examining doctors classified the findings under BI-RADS Category V, indicating a high likelihood of cancer.

Immediate follow-up investigations, including a mammogram and tru-cut biopsy, were advised to confirm the diagnosis and determine the appropriate course of treatment.

Dr. Rabil Farouq, who processed the scan, emphasised the importance of early detection and swift intervention. Gladys was referred to the Oncology Department at the National Hospital, Abuja for expert management.

Another investigation at the National Hospital, Abuja confirmed her worst fears when a histology report of a breast mass biopsy dated October 2024, confirmed the diagnosis of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma SBRII (triple negative).

Gladys said,” There were lumps, they were removed and I was given medication to make the swelling to go down but the cancer became more aggressive.”

My children need me

The children are suffering too,” Gladys lamented.” There was a time they all fell ill, it was a miracle not to have lost any of them. The eldest who scored 220 in the JAMB examination didn’t sit for the post-UTME because we couldn’t pay.

“Another child asked for N7,000 to pay in his school, but we couldn’t give it to him because we just didn’t have it,” Gladys said tearfully.

Gladys’s voice breaks not when she talks about her pain, but when she speaks of her sons. “Doctors said I need surgery, and then more chemotherapy, but I have no money. Sometimes I feel my strength leaving me. I worry about my boys, what will become of them if something happens to me?

“Often I see them pretending to be strong, but at night, they cry. They know their mother is hurting,” she stated.

Taking up the narration, Cajetan stated, “The doctors said surgery to remove the right breast is the best way out, and every week, she checks her blood level.

From breadwinner to full-time career

When Gladys was first diagnosed, Cajetan stopped work to be her full time carer, scavenging for funds to help keep her alive. Noting that the family is in a quandary, he stated that every treatment requires money.

“A single chemotherapy session costs nearly N400,000; with four sessions prescribed, followed by additional therapies, tests, and the eventual breast removal surgery, the family is looking at an estimated N5 million to save Gladys’ life.

“We have sold what we can, borrowed and begged where we can for money over the past two years, yet the battle is far from over. Her fellow vendors sometimes gather small amounts of money to help us buy drugs, but it is never enough.

“We charter a vehicle from Lugbe to the hospital once in a week. We have requested money from philanthropic organisations and received some help from the church, and a local association, but it wasn’t enough.

“All the money has gone on the tests, drugs, and transportation, we’re just trying to keep her alive. Without help, I fear for her life. I fear for our children, we just want her to be strong enough for the surgery.”” Cajetan explained with quiet anguish.

The future certainly looks bleak but the family remains hopeful. “We’re not working, I’m not working and she stopped working too, she’s no longer able to sell newspapers, we’re just trying to keep her alive. If we can raise N5 million, maybe we can finish the chemo and she can do the surgery,” Cajetan insisted.

She has given her best, now she needs ours — Comrade Eche’Ofun John

Recalling Gladys’ tireless consistency, the President of the Abuja Newspapers Distributors Agents Association (ANDA), Comrade Emmanuel Eche’Ofun John, described her as very committed, always punctual and always ready to serve.

“Gladys is one of our most committed members, she never missed a day, always the first to come. Unfortunately, when this whole thing started, she kept complaining of severe pain, we thought it was something small, but it grew worse. Now, she needs urgent medical attention. We can only pray and hope help comes her way.

“Her suffering is not just her own, it is the face of a silent crisis among thousands of petty traders, vendors, and artisans across Nigeria who live one sickness away from ruin.

“As Chairman, I lose members to treatable diseases. Every week I pay small welfare stipends to sick members, for simple ailments just because they cannot afford proper treatment but how far can that go?

“Some of them have died from ailments that could have been treated if only they had the means. This is where Vanguard’s free medical outreach has stepped in to make a difference.

“What Vanguard is doing is timely and historic. Extending it to Abuja will save countless lives. Vanguard’s outreach is timely, it will save lives.

“She has given her best to this business and this community, now she needs us to give back. Vanguard has shown compassion, but we also need well-meaning Nigerians, organisations, anyone who can, to step in and save Gladys’ life,” the ANDA President appealed.

Vanguard’s free medical outreach is a lifeline — Patrick Oduone

Vanguard has been taking healthcare to newspaper distributors, vendors, agents, and surrounding communities as part of its corporate social responsibility.

The outreach, which has already served hundreds in Lagos Island, Ikeja, Maryland, Ojota, and Agege, provides free screenings for conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, hepatitis, prostate cancer, and HIV.

Vendors also receive eye tests, prescription glasses, free medications, health talks, and referrals for serious cases.

Explaining the motive behind the initiative, Vanguard’s Technical Consultant, Mr. Patrick Oduone, said it aims to bridge healthcare gaps, prevent avoidable illnesses, and recognise the dignity of those who keep Nigeria’s print media alive.

“It’s about dignity, prevention, and giving back,” he stressed, adding that expansion plans are underway.

The outreach has enabled many vendors discover hidden health conditions, while others regained productivity after receiving prescription glasses. Beyond treatment, the outreach has boosted morale – vendors say they finally feel seen and valued.

Some describe it as unprecedented, the first time healthcare has come directly to their doorstep.

Desperate plea against time

But time is running out. Gladys’ plea is simple:”Help me, help me live. My family needs me, I don’t want to leave them now. I am not asking for luxury, I only ask for the chance to survive, to see my children grow and thrive, and for me to return one day to the vendor’s stall where I once earned a living with dignity, and to reclaim my life from the grip of this terrible disease.”

This is a cry for compassion, an urgent call for assistance. For Gladys, however, time is running out. She needs surgery – urgently.

If you are moved to help Gladys to raise the urgent N5 million to enable her undergo the life saving surgery, kindly send your contributions to: Gladys Okere, First Bank 3020814073.

For more information, contact 08051333519. (Vanguard)