By: Emmanuel Mbowa
Freetown, 6th July 2026- “I am skillful, but cancer wants to take that away from me. Please, Madam Fatima Bio and other compassionate women and men in our society, come to my urgent aid.”
Isatu Sesay, the name she prefers, is a 33-year-old woman who has been battling stage 4 breast cancer for the past three years. She has sought support from government, institutions, and individuals to raise $20,000 for surgery in Ghana.
“Although I still have hope that I can survive, I am deeply devastated since I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer,” Isatu said. “I sold all my welding equipment and property just to stay alive, but financial constraints have worsened my situation. I am pleading for financial support for my surgical operation in Ghana, estimated at $20,000. That covers travel, accommodation, feeding, and the entire medical procedure,” she pleaded.
She added that she travelled to Ghana last November for surgery, but could not proceed. She barely had enough to pay hotel fees, so she returned to Sierra Leone in February this year.
“After my labs, CT scan, x-ray, ECG, mammogram, and other screenings in Ghana, I was supposed to start chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. But my money finished along the way, so I had to return home to seek support from my people.”
Isatu revealed that she has faced stigma from people around her. Some believe they can contract the disease by living with her.
“The discrimination is too much, especially from loved ones, friends, and family who think the disease can spread from person to person. It doesn’t spread. It was bound to happen. It started like a lump when I was in school and developing breasts,” she explained.
Since she could not complete the other medical procedures in Ghana, Isatu said she will have to start the process all over again. Doctors will need to check her current condition.
“Hopefully, when I return to Ghana, I will have to start the whole process afresh at the hospital where I was first diagnosed, because it has been a long time since I left,” she maintained.
With timely support from the First Family, well-meaning organizations, and humanitarians, Isatu hopes to return to welding, build a loving family, and contribute to nation-building with her skills.
“First Lady Fatima Maada Bio said we should empower women, and I am one of those women who needs empowerment. I am skillful, but cancer wants to take that away from me. Please, Madam Fatima Bio and other compassionate women in our society, come to my urgent aid.”
Isatu Sesay prefers to be reached through Truth Media and would appreciate any form of support from Sierra Leoneans.
