Every month she faced the same impossible decision.
Food. Or medication. School fees. Or hospital visits. Rent. Or investigations.
As a single mother of three, she was already stretched beyond her limits.
When doctors discovered a serious gynaecological condition, she knew treatment was necessary.
But necessity and affordability are not always the same thing.
She postponed appointments. Skipped medications. Ignored worsening symptoms.
Not because she didn't care about her health. But because her children needed to eat.
One evening, her youngest daughter asked a question that broke her heart.
"Mummy, when will you stop being sick?"
She had no answer. No mother wants her child to worry about her survival.
Through support from healthcare professionals and charitable assistance, she eventually accessed treatment.
Today, she often says she did not fight only for herself. She fought for her children.
Women are often celebrated for their sacrifices. But no woman should have to sacrifice her health to keep her family afloat.
Healthcare should not require impossible choices.