By Abdul-Mumin Abdul-Quadir
“No one should have to deal with brain tumour. The experience is excruciating.”
Brain tumour is a great health issue that has taken lives and rendered a number of people useless, that’s according to the convener, ‘Health Talk on Brain Tumour’ Damilola Orisadare.
Orisadare, a survivor of the neurological condition, has, therefore, taken it upon herself to create awareness about it among Nigerians.
A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells within the brain or near it. These growths can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). While benign tumours don’t spread to other parts of the body and often grow slowly, they can still be dangerous if they press on vital areas of the brain, causing damage and dysfunction. Malignant tumors, or brain cancers, tend to grow more quickly and can invade and destroy surrounding brain tissue.
The host of ‘Moments with Lòlá series,’ reaffirmed her commitment to creating awareness on brain tumour, which remains a threat to human existence.
She told Community Standard on Saturday, 24th May 2025, that the caravan of her awareness programme is still moving. It has not stopped.
Having pooled over 2,000 people for the first phase of the programme, held on Friday, 16th May 2025, at the Nigerian French Language Village, in Badagry, Orisadare intends to reach out to four more tertiary institutions and ten colleges, to make a list of fifteen schools.
She said “brain tumour is a great health issue that has taken lives and rendered a number of people useless. Yet, many are unaware of the problem. Even medical practitioners rarely consider in their diagnoses. So, I’ve taken it upon myself to enlighten as many people as I can on this prowling health challenge.
“Our train started at the Nigerian French Village last week Friday, but we’ve just begun. The turnout was massive. We had over 2,000 in attendance. The support I got was also overwhelming, and the impact was made. Since then, I’ve been getting mind-blowing feedback, but that’s not all.
“The goal is to touch five tertiary institutions institutions and ten secondary in Lagos State. So, the train has just taken off, and we’re not getting off until the destination is reached.”
No one should have such an excruciating experience
Orisadare explained that her personal encounter with brain tumour is her motivation. She does not want anyone to go through what she experienced, grappling with brain tumour.
“No one should have to deal with brain tumour. The experience is excruciating. I can relate. I was always hospitalised over the years. I’ll be discharged to be taken back to the same hospital in Egbeda after a short while. This went on, and my family went through great stress during the time.
“One day, I was taken back to the hospital again as always, but my family members were already tired. They wanted a lasting solution. They probed the treatment the hospital kept dishing out, as it only served temporary purposes. They asked if the doctors even knew what they were treating. So, further investigations were made, and boom! I was diagnosed with brain tumour, and that was how my journey started.
“I reached out to government parastatals and corporate bodies but was turned down. I was heartbroken.My mum was stressed my and I was hurt. Imagine what could have happened if help didn’t come. Imagine how many lives would have been lost because of the inability to raise huge amounts of money required for treatment within or outside the country.
“Hence, I have taken it upon myself to get the message to as many people as I can reach. Perhaps some lives will be saved. Living with a brain tumour can be very devastating. So, there’s a need for someone to step in and help, and I’m so excited about this.”
Our next stop is Unilag
“My alma mater, University of Lagos Unilag, is our next stop. I’ve reached out to the school’s Faculty of Arts, and I’m eagerly awaiting a positive response from them. Once it comes, my team will swing into action again. I can’t wait to see that happen.”
Ms. Orisadare noted that she chose to step in because not everyone would be as lucky as she was.
“I am just one lucky person, and I feel indebted to raise a voice for others. Losing your voice, the ability to walk well, sleep well, or think straight are things no one wants to go through.
“I’m lucky to have a very wonderful family that stood firmly by me throughout the journey. They really tried for me, and their support was instrumental to my healing. I will forever remain appreciative.
“Raising awareness for this particular health issue means a lot to me.Every day, I see people with such health issues, but there’s little or no help or hope for them.”
She narrated how strenuous it was to put the programme together and expressed heartfelt gratitude to her sponsors.
“I tried to get sponsors for my podcast, but the responses were not encouraging. So, I do it all myself.
“We have a plan to raise awareness in 5 universities and 10 secondary schools we just started and to pay for students’ MRI, but lack of funds might make us stop.
“I’m more than grateful to the few who sponsored my programme, like Queen Glam Hair, that stood by me from day 1, NabellaFabrics, Letmeshower Events.
“I’ll be ungrateful if I didn’t acknowledge My lecturers from Nigerian French Language Village, particularly Prof. Tayo Alawode, , Dr Reuben Faniyi from Crystal Specialist Hospital in Egbeda and a host of others.
Hmmm….😮💨