Life happens’ this has become a generic clause to describe unpleasant situations but the subject of this clause cannot really describe the situation with two words because the pain runs deeper than what can be summarised with just two words.
Mr Rufus is a sad subject of ‘Life happens’, presently going through the excruciating pain of abdominal swelling as diagnosed by doctors in one of the government hospitals in Lagos. The 48 year old man is father of three children and has been abandoned by his wife.
The Social Worker in the hospital got to know about the patient’s helpless situation without funds for treatment so she contacted HEI. Health Emergency Initiative (HEI) swiftly provided N25, 000 for his emergency treatment.
However, Mr Rufus abdominal swelling has heightened to stomach cancer. The symptoms started years ago and might have not have gotten to this stage if immediate attention and treatment had been given to the symptoms over the years.
The Symptoms of Stomach Cancer are:
- Bloated feeling after eating
- Heartburn
- Slight nausea
- Loss of appetite
You should note that just having indigestion or heartburn after a meal doesn’t mean you have cancer. But if you feel these symptoms a lot, don’t hesitate to go for medical care.
As stomach tumours grow, there could be more serious symptoms, such as:
- Stomach pain
- Blood in your stool
- Vomiting
- Weight loss for no reason
- Trouble swallowing
- Yellowish eyes or skin
- Swelling in your stomach
- Constipation or diarrhoea
- Weakness or feeling tired
- Heartburn
HEI works and advocates that primary healthcare should be easily accessible such that patients like Mr Rufus would have given prior medical care to the symptoms right from the onset before it becomes cancerous. Early treatment is better and can be achieved when primary healthcare is effective and accessible.
Do you still underestimate primary health care in a poverty-prevalent society like Nigeria? Should we leave this for the government alone and watch people continue to die of illnesses that could have been easily treated right from the onset with 5,000 or 20, 000 below?
Life happens but you can be a beacon of hope to make living bearable for others by simply subscribing to HEI PROJECT 1 MILLION with as low as N500 per month. Join us to save more lives.
