- Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, a 27-year breast cancer survivor, credits her survival to eliminating starchy foods and embracing a healthier diet
- She founded the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN) and emphasizes lifestyle changes, research, and medical intervention as crucial
Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, widow of the late former Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has shared how eliminating starchy foods from her diet played a key role in her survival after being diagnosed with breast cancer 27 years ago.
She revealed that she stopped consuming eba, amala, akpu, and pounded yam to improve her chances of survival and raise her young children.
In a social media post marking World Cancer Day, Anyanwu-Akeredolu described her cancer journey as a “mixed grill of triumph and grief.” She emphasized that lifestyle changes, research, and medical intervention significantly improved her survival.
“If avoiding Coke, other soft drinks, and starchy foods like eba, pounded yam, amala, and akpu would prolong my life—knowing that sugar and starch fuel cancer growth—so be it. That was exactly what I did,” she wrote.
Since 2000, she has adopted a diet rich in vegetables, smoothies, green tea, lemon and ginger tea, beans, moimoi, fish, chicken, snail, occasional rice, and zobo drink, while avoiding sugary and starchy foods.
The former Ondo First Lady, whose husband passed away from prostate cancer on December 23, 2023, stressed that maintaining a positive mindset played a major role in her survival. She credited her decision to seek medical care at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, instead of relying on spiritual healers, as crucial to her recovery.
She noted that early detection at stage 1 was a significant advantage in her battle against the disease.
As the founder of the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN), Anyanwu-Akeredolu highlighted the importance of Team Survivors Nigeria (TSN), a support group for breast cancer survivors.
Discussion about this post