“I believe I will still beat it again.” These are the words of a Nigerian woman, Didi, who feared a recurrence of her cancer – but saw herself as a survivor. Her attitude is becoming more common everywhere as more people are living after a cancer diagnosis.
Though populations are growing and ageing, and cancer incidence is therefore rising , it’s also true that the likelihood of surviving is greater than before. And identifying as a survivor, rather than a “victim”, matters. Studies show that it’s associated with better health outcomes.
Didi’s optimism is inspiring when you consider the challenges women like her face: a weak health system, high out-of-pocket medical costs, cancer stigma, and a highly patriarchal society that increases women’s vulnerability. In 2020, Nigeria reported an estimated 124,815 new cancer cases and 78,899 cancer deaths, mostly from breast, cervical and prostate cancers. The country is projected to experience an increase in cancer incidence by 2040 .
The growing population of people who have had cancer makes it important to understand their experiences. What is it like to be a cancer survivor in Nigeria? Does identifying as a survivor rather than as a victim make a difference? Can the survivors’ quality of life be improved? These were the questions my colleagues and I – gerontology and public health researchers – had in mind when we conducted the study that Didi took part in. For our study of what it means to be a female cancer.
