Ibadan Polytechnic Graduate, Rita Mogekwu Dies Of Cancer After Intensive Treatment

By Frank Oshanugor

A National Diploma (ND) graduate from Ibadan Polytechnic and fashion designer, Miss Rita Ebele Mogekwu whose cervical cancer case emotionally attracted the attention of ATLANTICNEWSONLINE some time in May, 2024 has died during recovery after about ten weeks of intensive treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

Family sources told ATLANTICNEWSONLINE that Rita died a few days ago following some unexplained occurrences after she had successfully gone through treatment and showed good sign of recovery.

The 50-year-old fashion designer who hailed from Ubulu-Uku in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State had in May last year, through ATLANTICNEWSONLINEpassionately appealed to kind hearted members of the public to help her financially to enable her go through cervical cancer treatment at LUTH.

According to the estimated cost of treatment given to her at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, she needed about N3million to enable her undergo radiation and chemotherapy treatment urgently in order to prevent a possible spread to other parts of the body.

Interestingly, following her appeal published by ATLANTICNEWSONLINE, some kind-hearted Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora were able to raise the money within 72 hours. The donations which were monitored by us, were made directly to Rita’s personal account.

The Public Administration graduate had told ATLANTICNEWSONLINE during an interview in May, 2024 that her problem began sometime in December, 2023 when she started having some abdominal pain which became severe in January, 2024.

Due to the severity of the pain, she decided to go for X-ray where she was recommended for MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)test. Subsequently, she went to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja to see a gynaecologist.

Regrettably, she could not locate any gynaecologist during that period. She continued taking pain relieve drug but in February, 2024 the abdominal pain increased in intensity and she could not keep the matter to herself alone but to see an aunty who subsequently took her to see her personal doctor.

Narrating her ordeal in a tone that manifestly revealed the deep pain she was then passing through, Rita said that her aunty’s doctor while recommending some tests for her, asked her to continue with the pain relieving drugs. The doctor also referred her to Mecure Centre at Oshodi for CT (Computed Tomography) scan, MRI and ultra-sound scan.

According to her, the scan detected the malignancy associated with cancer. Due to this, she was referred to LASUTH where she had to undergo series of tests again. The last of the test was cervical test which incidentally detected the cervical cancer.

“When the result came out, the Oncologist said that they did not have the facility at LASUTH. I was therefore referred to LUTH. That was in April this year,” she had said in interview, May 2024.

At LUTH, she was taken to NSIA, which is the cancer centre and on getting there, she was asked to do MRI again and also repeat the abdominal CT scan after she had paid N50,000 consulting fee. “To even raise the amount was a difficult task,” she remarked, but somehow she pulled through.

The MRI and CT scan which were conducted in a privately owned facility located somewhere in Suru-Lere area of Lagos cost her N210,000 which she eventually paid through some divine intervention.

The essence of these tests was to ascertain if the cancer had spread to other parts of her body but according to her “,to the glory of God, the result came out fine as it is only the cervical area that is affected.” However, due to the severe pain she was passing through at that time, doctors at LUTH recommended that the radiation and chemotherapy treatment should begin immediately but only after about 75% of the estimated cost must have been paid.

The money was easily raised through appeal while the treatment commenced within a short while. After about ten weeks into the treatment, Rita had joyfully told our EDITOR-IN-CHIEF via a WhatsApp message that she was on her way to full recovery. Regrettably, the recovery was truncated by death a few days ago.

Though Rita is dead, yet her family remains grateful to all those who helped to raise the finances needed for her treatment at LUTH even at short notice. They have also appreciated ATLANTICNEWSONLINE for raising the initial awareness that helped to draw the attention of all those who generously donated.

According to burial programme sent to ATLANTICNEWSONLINE, there would be a service of song for the deceased at her residence in Meiran Area of Lagos on February 27, 2024 while her remains would be buried on February 28, 2025 at Covenant Cemetery, Ota.