When 35-year-old Safiya Saleh first discovered a strange growth on her breast, she did not know it was cancer. She had been struggling with this issue for a long time without getting the needed support for treatment as a housewife from an average family.
For months, Safiya left her marital home in Zamfara state to her parent’s house in Kaduna state as the cancer continued to develop on her breast, making life difficult for her to the extent she couldn’t do anything.
Safiya’s misconception about the cancer and its genuine remedies made the situation more critical for her as she resolved to be using traditional herbs for treatment like Banana. This is one of the problems that many cancer patients face in Nigeria.
She relied on herbal remedies, even dressing the wound with banana drops as advised by a herbalist that she met in Kaduna. But her condition only worsened. “I suffered a lot because I already knew it was cancer eating me up,” she recalled.
The encounter that changed my life
One fateful day, in October 2024, Safiya went to Nasiru El-Rufai Primary Healthcare Centre, Malalin Gabas, Kaduna State, to dress her injured breast based on herbalist advice and a woman told her about the Khayr Cancer Health Initiative (KCHI). That encounter became a blessing for her.
“As I was receiving the treatment, the women talked to me about the organization saying that they will come to their clinic in the Malali area of Kaduna state. As she was doing the dress, God brought one of their members and asked me if I could allow him to snap the picture of the injury but I told him to not snap my face, ” Safiyya recalled, noting that this is the beginning of the beautiful ride.
The initiative told Safiya the procedure to enjoy their support but she was too weak to follow through with her initial referral to Barau Dikko Hospital. “I collapsed almost twice because I was in critical condition,” she said. At that point, KCHI arranged for health workers to treat her at home. They also gave her ₦50,000 to support her treatment.
When she returned to Zamfara to be with her husband, the organization continued to check on her, linked her with the Federal Medical Centre in Gusau, and later sent her to Sokoto for radiotherapy. At one point, she received another ₦150,000.
Safiya who has recovered, became a strong woman was able to return to school and continue with daily life. She was so excited with their support. “To be frank I’m very happy because I feel so relieved. Their support played a significant role in my recovery, especially when I came back to Zamfara”, she said gladly
“Today I am recovering. I have completed my radiotherapy, and I feel strong enough to attend school again,” she said with relief. “I pray that one day I will also support people battling cancer the way I was helped.”
The story of Safiya is one out of thousands of patients suffering from cancer in Nigeria. Cancer is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. As of 2022, Nigeria recorded 269,109 cases of cancer within 5 years (2018–2022), with the total number of new cases and deaths of cancer in the year 2022 estimated to be 127,763 and 79,542, respectively.
However, it was reported that breast cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, and non‐Hodgkin lymphoma are ranked first to fifth, respectively, in the distribution of cancer.
Another story of courage
For 42-year-old Rafiat Kamaludden, the story is equally emotional. A widow from Kaduna State, she has been struggling with cervical cancer, which causes excessive bleeding. Life became unbearable after her husband died and left her with five children.
“Immediately after his demise, I fell sick. I couldn’t work, and our house was leaking. I didn’t even have capital to start a business,” she said.
Her turning point came a year ago, in November, 2024 when she met KCHI. They paid for her first and second chemotherapy injections and promised to cover her next treatment. “They have been with me from the beginning until today,” she said, wiping tears of gratitude.
“I was a tailor, before I met them l couldn’t work but now l can do my work to earn money for our survival l and my children. They have done everything for me.” She narrated.
With KCHI support, Rafiat has been able to return to her work as a tailor, which allows her to take care of her children again. “I am just praying that God rewards them abundantly.”
Why KCHI stepped in
As the cases of cancer persist in Nigeria, in early 2022, Khayr Cancer Health Initiative, a young but fast-growing non-governmental organization determined to change the story of cancer patients in Nigeria was launched and registered in 2024.
According to Dr. Taofeek Tope, Chairman, Board of Trustees, KCHI, the rising number of cancer cases and the pain families endure due to late diagnosis, limited awareness, and lack of support motivated them to act. “Many lives are lost simply because people do not know the signs early enough or cannot access proper care,” Dr Taofeek explained.
KCHI has already touched lives directly and indirectly. From offering free and subsidized screenings to sponsoring treatment and providing counseling, the group has supported about 20 patients in critical need, while its awareness campaigns and webinars have reached millions across Nigeria and abroad.
Its impact is visible because since its inception less than two years ago, the initiative has expanded to 12 states, raising awareness, promoting early detection, and linking patients to oncologists. The stories of Safiya and Rafiat can stand as a living witness of its great impact.
The challenges and hope
Despite the successes recorded by the initiative, there are challenges along the way–sustaining the funding remains a major issue, as most of the programs rely on contributions from trustees, families, and friends. While cultural beliefs and myths about cancer continue to hinder early intervention.
However, Inadequate access to screening equipment and treatment facilities in the country is one of their major concerns. They rely on partnerships with selected diagnostic centers and tertiary facilities to support their patients.
One of their patients, Rafiat, was scheduled for 6 sessions of chemotherapy injections. They paid for 5 of the sessions as well as some tests and transfusions for each session but they couldn’t get radiotherapy and brachytherapy so easily in Kaduna.
“After the 6th session, she was scheduled for radiotherapy and brachytherapy to ensure effective treatment, but Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital does not have functional radiotherapy equipment, so she was referred to a private facility (Kano Cancer centre) which is very costly”. Says Madina Hassan, the Director of the initiative, noting that as of now, radiography costs 1.6 million naira.
Dr Taofeek stressed that for the sustainability of the initiative and reaching wider cancer patients, the group remains optimistic. Volunteers, majority of them young people, see their involvement as an opportunity for growth and community service. And KCHI is open to collaborations and partnerships that can help scale its programs. “We look forward to a future free from the burden of cancer,” he stated.
For women like Safiya and Rafiat, that future already feels closer. Their stories are proof that with timely support, awareness, and care, cancer is not necessarily the end—it can be the beginning of hope.
