Obert Gutu recalls horror of battling deadly cancer, amid calls for investment in health system

Corporate Lawyer, former Deputy Minister of Justice & Legal Affairs and former Commissioner of the National Peace & Reconciliation Commission Obert Gutu recalls living with Hodgkins lymphoma (a deadly type of blood cancer), from around March 2017.

Gutu says he personally understands the pain & agony that cancer patients go through, amid calls for investment in the country’s public health system.

He writes:

“I battled Hodgkins lymphoma (a deadly type of blood cancer), from around March 2017.

“This was the toughest fight of my life to date. Diagnosed with stage 4 disease, my survival chances were realistically put at 18% by my medical team.

“I personally know the pain & agony that cancer patients go through.

“The rigours of chemotherapy, the relentless pain, the nausea, the loss of appetite, the drastic loss of weight & everything else associated with this deadly disease.

“I survived because The Most High gave me another chance. Cancer treatment is damn expensive.

“I roughly estimate that as a family, we spent no less than US$120 000 on my medical bills fighting this deadly disease.

“March is always the month that I pause & reflect on the horror that cancer patients go through.

“It’s tough, I tell you. My heart goes out to all cancer patients. They’re warriors.

“They’re fighters. Indeed, we need to hugely invest in our public health delivery system to ensure that all cancer patients (and indeed, all other patients suffering from all types of ailments), can access quality & affordable health care.