TheCable

Adeyemi Mobolaji, a 38-year-old pastor and motivational speaker who has been battling mucoepidermoid carcinoma (cancer affecting the mouth and neck region), for five years, is calling on the public to help save his life.

A new tumour has been diagnosed close to his eyes.

Mobolaji’s neck was dissected and his upper jaw removed when he was operated for adenocarcinoma, a rare form of cancer, in 2014.

With lots of pain from life-threatening complications and severe loss of blood, his situation worsens by the day.

He was first diagnosed of tumour in 2012, after which he underwent surgery at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

Subsequently, he was referred to Eko Hospital, a private hospital in Ikeja, Lagos, where he used radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which lasted six weeks.

In June 2014, he went through another surgery at Criticare Hospital, Maharashtra, India, for reconstruction of the upper jaw, and after then, he started seeing consultants at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

Unfortunately, another tumour (squamous cell carcinoma) has been discovered around his eye region, requiring another round of surgery and treatments.

According to his family members, this surgery has been estimated at 150 thousand dollars (N54 million).

Speaking on the current state of his health, Titilayo, his wife said, “Every time, he brings out blood from that side. Also, the growth seems to be gradually moving towards the eye. If you look closely at his left eyes, you’d notice swelling around the area.”

She added that apart from the financial challenges encountered by the family, she in particular suffers psychologically, seeing her once active husband become passive.

“It is challenging for me to see my husband whom I know is very active, very vocal and who loves to help people to be restricted from doing what he loves doing because everything he does has to do with his eyes and mouth. He reads and he talks to bless and impact lives,” she said.

“I woke up this morning and I saw blood all over the bed. I was alarmed- what happened again? Waking up to that kind of sight can be demoralising except for the fact that one has the faith that it is going to be well at the end of the day.”

Despite the situation, Titilayo expressed optimism that her husband would recover from the illness, vowing to standby him till the battle is won.

She therefore called on the public to join Mobolaji in winning the war against cancer.

“My husband’s eyes and mouth are his tools and there needs to be urgent attention in any way. I believe that there is a solution,” she said.

“With the best medical care and the support of the good people of this nation, he is going to have it recovered. And I am very sure that his life is a gift to this nation and this generation.

“If he is back, I am sure that this generation will know that he came and that is why I am willing with everything in my inside that God has given to me to support him to the end till everything is over and we come over to the victory side. I desire it.

“We need to act swiftly to prevent further spread,  hence our appeal for support. We crave your indulgence to give towards this grand cause. We need all the support we can get from everyone no matter how much.”

Donations can be made to the Guaranty Trust Bank account with name, Adeyemi Mobolaji Adam, account number: 0139375056.