National Cancer Survivors Day
Ocan Esther
June 3, 2022
OCAN ESTHER’S STORY
Ocan Esther is a 38-year-old woman from Gulu. Each day she walks down the hallway in Lacor Hospital using a crutch for support. She makes slow but steady progress through the ward, stopping to let people go by with a smile and a warm greeting.
Esther arrived at Lacor Hospital in December of 2021 complaining of bleeding and pain early in her pregnancy. An ultrasound and blood test confirmed a molar pregnancy. In this rare form of pregnancy, the egg and sperm do not join correctly at fertilization resulting in a non-cancerous tumor of cells. Esther underwent surgery to remove the tumor. Her recovery was quick, and she was discharged two days later.
In February of this year, Esther was found unconscious at home by her family. They immediately brought her to Lacor, where the medical team discovered she was paralyzed on her right side. Esther's symptoms of headache and vomiting prompted her doctor to give her a CT scan. The scan revealed that her molar pregnancy had developed into a type of cancer known as choriocarcinoma. The cancer metastasized from her uterus to her brain and lungs.
From February to April, Esther was unable to speak or walk. One of the most challenging things for her was not being able to interact with her four children.
Maureen, her eldest daughter, is 19 years old and in secondary school. Her other two daughters, Tracy and Emily, hope to attend secondary school in the future. Her son Ryan is in primary school.
Esther's children visit her each day at Lacor, bringing her food and helping to care for her. When their mother could not speak to them, they sang to her. Her sister Rose was also by her side, providing comfort and support.
Luckily for Esther and her family, choriocarcinoma is a very treatable cancer, with a cure rate of 95%. Esther received eight rounds of chemotherapy. Over the last two months, she began speaking again. She walks now with only the use of a crutch for balance.
The other patients that Esther shares a room with describe her as having the most beautiful smile and an incredibly humble and warm personality. They praise her hard work and dedication to her recovery and enjoy listening to her sing to them. It is clear that these women have become close friends throughout their hospital stay.
Esther is feeling stronger each day and looks forward to being discharged. She is anxious to go home to her family and return to her job as a tailor in the Gulu market.
Most of all, she is thankful for the nurses, midwives, clinical officers, and doctors at Lacor, who consistently supported her and gave her exceptional medical care.
Sunday, June 5, is National Cancer Survivors Day. This day is not only a celebration of life but an opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges people face on their journey to receive treatment.
Cancer patients in rural Uganda often delay initiating cancer treatment or miss appointments because of a lack of money for treatment, medicine, or accommodations.
Lacor Hospital provides free cancer treatment to children and at subsidized rates to all other patients. Your donations are essential to making this possible.