Literary Icon, Prof Wole Soyinka, revealed today at a press
conference in Abeokuta Ogun state, that he's a cancer
survivor. He said his appointment as a board member of the
African Cancer Centre made him undergo a routine checkup
last year which revealed he had cancer. He said he
diagnosed with the disease in December 2013.
"It never occurred to me to test myself because men
have their separate test like women and I have heard
people who lost very dear ones, closed ones. They just
told me, ‘Prof, we hope you’re having your own?’ And I
told them I had one 10 years ago and he said, “No, no,
do it regularly.” And by accident in December last year,
I discovered that I had cancer.”.
Prof Soyinka who is cancer free now after undergoing a
vigorous treatment that ended in October this year, said
although he was uncomfortable speaking about his
experience, he was obligated to speak about it now so as to
get rid of the public perception that being diagnosed with
cancer is a death sentence
"For me, this is not a decision which I like but I felt I
have all obligation, being a member of African Cancer
Centre, and also having even donated a performance
during the festival, fund raising for cancer, I am under
obligation to make it known and to also demystify
cancer. Many people feel it is a death sentence. Family
feel it; friends, colleagues, they begin to look at you as
if you are a ghost once there is rumour you have
cancer. No, cancer is not a death sentence, it is
curable, I have undergone the treatment and I am able
to tell you that I even have a model, that’s my
certificate.” he said
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