My Cancer Journey: Turning Pain Into Purpose

Dr. Denise U. Ejoh’s message to cancer patients everywhere.

My name is Dr. Denise U. Ejoh, and I am a metastatic breast cancer patient and advocate, as well as a cancer awareness campaigner, author, researcher, and founder and CEO of Cormode Cancer Foundation.

My cancer journey began on September 11, 2016, when I was diagnosed with de novo stage 4 breast cancer. Those words changed my life forever. Like many people facing a cancer diagnosis, I experienced fear, uncertainty, and countless questions about what the future would hold. The reality of living with metastatic cancer has been challenging, but it has also revealed a strength and purpose I never knew I possessed.

Over the years, cancer has taken me through multiple treatments, hospital admissions, and difficult decisions. I have undergone seven brain surgeries due to brain metastases, along with radiation treatments, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and ongoing medical care. There have been moments of pain, disappointment, and exhaustion, but there have also been moments of hope, resilience, and gratitude.

Cancer has affected every aspect of my life. It forced me to retire earlier than planned and changed many of the dreams I had for myself and my family. Yet it also opened my eyes to the struggles faced by countless patients, particularly those in underserved communities who lack access to information, screening, treatment, and support.

Rather than allowing cancer to define me, I chose to use my experience to help others. In 2019, I founded the Cormode Cancer Foundation with a mission to raise awareness, promote early detection, support patients and caregivers, and advocate for improved cancer care in Nigeria and beyond. Through the foundation, I have led awareness campaigns, produced educational programs, supported research initiatives, written cancer awareness books for young people, and worked with local and international partners to amplify the voices of patients.

One of the most important lessons cancer has taught me is that no one should face this disease alone. Behind every diagnosis is a person, a family, a caregiver, and a community. Support, compassion, and access to accurate information can make a tremendous difference in a patient’s journey.

As a patient advocate, I have seen firsthand how research saves lives. Advances in treatment provided me with opportunities that did not exist for many patients in previous generations. Continued investment in cancer research, patient-centered care, and equitable access to treatment are essential if we are to improve outcomes for future patients.

Today, I continue to live with metastatic breast cancer. I attend appointments across multiple hospitals, undergo ongoing treatment, and manage the daily realities of living with a chronic illness. Yet I remain committed to my mission. Every awareness campaign, every patient supported, every young person educated about cancer, and every life touched reminds me why this work matters.

My message to anyone facing cancer is simple: There is hope. Your diagnosis does not define your worth, your potential, or your future. While the journey may be difficult, you do not have to walk it alone.

Together, we can raise awareness, support research, improve care, and ensure that every person affected by cancer has a voice.

Together We Fight, Together We Win.

Whether you are a patient, survivor, caregiver, or loved one touched by cancer, your story can have an enormous impact. You can provide hope and inspiration to someone recently diagnosed with cancer or a patient undergoing therapy.