13 years ago I lost a very close friend to Breast Cancer.
By Furera Bagel, PhD
She was one of my closest friends during my secondary school days at the federal government girls college Bauchi and we were also together at ABU Zaria.
She told me that she first discovered she had the disease when she felt a lump while taking a bath and decided to try a self-examination during her service year in Enugu.
She immediately returned home to kaduna and was taken to ABUTH Shuka by her family where Doctors confirmed her fears after undergoing mammogram and she had to undergo a mastectomy where she lost both breasts.
After the operation and recovery period, her life went back to its normal routine. She looked fit and healthy and even got a job with New Age Media and life was good. But she always had a fear that cancer might return.
I remember one day when she came to see me at Unguwan Rimi Low Coast and as we were talking she suddenly said, “Yar Gidan Bagel! ku tara mani kudi mana in tafi kasan waje?” and I said “Haba Grace! Me zaki je yi a waje?” and she replied, ” ina so in je asibiti ne a duba mun don ina tsoro kar ciwon man yayi spreading”.
Sadly Grace’s fears were confirmed as it was the cancer was discovered to have spread a few months later and she had to go back to ABUTH where she spent months receiving treatment.
I remember receiving a call from my friend Rukaiya Tabra while doing my NYSC at Gusau, telling me that she had heard from Grace’s cousin that Grace had been taken back home from the hospital because her family feared that she might not make it.
So both of us made an arrangement to meet on Friday of that week. She travelled from Gombe and me from Gusau and the following day on Saturday we went to no 49 Bahago Street in Television, to see our friend.
When we entered the house she was seated at the dining area wearing a yellowish adire boubou gown in a deep conversation with some people seated around her. Her whole family was there and her church members too including the pastor. She smiled when I went close to her to greet her and she even made an attempt at a joke while touching my cheeks. All the while I was trying so hard to keep myself from breaking down.
We stayed in her room talking to her sisters Linda and Sandra and also briefly to her mum who was busy attending to people. Late in the evening we said goodbyes accompanied by a hugs and left, oblivious of the fact that we would never ever see our friend again, for a week later I received a call from Rukaiya telling me that Grace’s had died.
13 years later I still miss my friend. I still remember how she used call my name with her southern Kaduna accent, “Yar Gidan Bagel!” Or how she addresses her brother Babangida as “Danuwana!”. I also remember her walk, her dance moves. But most of all I remember her love for her son, Abdul. The last time I went to enquire about him from his uncle I was told that he had graduated secondary school with all A’s and had memorized the holy Qur’an. I am sure she would have been very proud of his achievements.
I think about Grace each and every time I see or hear about a cancer patient because she was the first person I lost to cancer.
May the soul of Kandie Grace Gwanzwang and all the other good friends and family we have lost to cancer continue to Rest In Peace.
I also pray for recovery to all the people suffering from cancer and that a cure to the dreadful disease is found soon. Amin.
