Uche Ugbai, the City FM OAP who is popularly
known as Sensei Uche has revealed why
he’s been off air for some months.
According to the OAP, he has been battling
with cancer and it all started sometime in
December 2016.
Sensei Uche who took to social media to call
on well meaning Nigerians to come to his
aid, further said he slowly came to realise
that he was losing sense of hearing in his
left ear, after he sought medication over a
recurring nasal congestion and sore throat.
Here’s his post;
“Hello everyone, my name is Uche Agbai,
many of you may know me as ‘SenseiUche’
of City 105.1FM. Those of you who do may
have also noticed I have been off air for an
unusually long time. In appreciation of the
concerned messages and loving support
that I have received I would like to take this
opportunity to explain the circumstances of
my absence.
The story began sometime in December
2016. I had slowly come to realise that I was
losing sense of hearing in my left ear. With
the onset of persistent nasal congestion and
a recurring sore throat I sought medical
attention. After visiting a number of
hospitals all of whom subjected me to
several tests, I was told I had simply been
suffering from an infection.
I began my treatment in the hopes the
symptoms would clear. The symptoms
worsened and I started having severe nose
bleeds. I was then advised to consult an Ear,
Nose and Throat specialist. After several
scans, an MRI scan of my head revealed an
unidentified growth in my upper nasal tract
measuring 8.5cm and 3cm wide, my blood
ran cold.
The discovery cast my life into limbo,
suddenly confronted with several
frightening prognoses; potential blindness,
partial deafness, anosmia or worse. After
undergoing surgery, a biopsy of the mass
returned the diagnosis; cancer. Analysis of
my scans would show I had a stage 3 nasal
lymphoma. To this day I cannot quite find
the words to describe the emotions of
helplessness and despair that beset me. It
was as though my life had suddenly and
without fair warning, been brought to a
screeching halt. I was advised on the high
risk of my situation with the danger that the
cancer could metastasise and spread to my
brain.
Compounded by my struggle in finding
adequate medical care in Nigeria, I felt as
though I was in a lopsided battle against
time for my wellbeing.
It has been in no uncertain terms, thanks to
the support of my family, friends, and dear
colleagues at City FM that I have been
managing to cope with all of this. The
emotional, the physical and the financial
struggles that accompany fighting such a
disease are just too overwhelming for one
person to hope to transcend. To those who
have been there, my sincerest and deepest
gratitude.
My treatment plan consists of 6 courses of
chemotherapy and intermittent
radiotherapy spread over a 7 month period.
My fight has begun, and at the time of
writing I have completed 2 courses of
chemotherapy at Lakeshore Center in Lagos,
with plans to receive radiotherapy in one of
their affiliates abroad. With a projected cost
of 21,000 USD/~16,000 GBP to complete my
treatment, I wish to appeal to you all to help
in my battle against cancer.
