Former Sunderland lecturer reveals all about her cancer battle

Dr Elewechi Ngozi Okike, a former accountancy lecturer at Sunderland University, will release her book, How I Stood Up to Cancer, on April 16, which tells of her battle with the rare cancer Cystadenocarcinoma.

The mum-of-four, from The Farthings, Washington, was diagnosed in October 2012 and was undergoing treatment at Sunderland Royal Hospital and the National Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle until 2013. She was given the all clear in 2014.

The 62-year-old said: “When I was diagnosed with this type of cancer they took a sample from my lung, but couldn’t decide what type of cancer it was.

“I was referred to a pathologist in Gateshead and then a national pathologist, who diagnosed me.

“When I had this type of cancer nobody knew about it.

“The only way anybody will know about it is through my book, as I didn’t allow it to take over my life. I still went to work every day, even through my treatment.

“Nobody knew about it at work and when it got really bad it was through my holiday, so I didn’t have to go to work anyway.

“I have a positive mental attitude, but I explain in my book about the shock and all the emotions I have been through.

“I am a person of faith and didn’t allow it to overcome me.”

The retired grandmother said she thought it would be interesting to write about and hoped it would be a ‘powerful book.’

Originally from Nigeria, the author is also the chief executive of her training consultancy business in Washington called Academy for Excellence in Education,’and is the chairwoman of charity Book Aid For Africa.

She said she started writing her fifth book, How I Stood Up to Cancer, in 2014.

The book will be available from Amazon and the launch will take place on April 16 from 3pm to 5pm at CitySpace, on Chester Road, Sunderland.

Dr Okike added: “The most important thing is that my book inspires other people. I want to inspire other people to overcome any challenge with the power of the mind.”