When Vivian Gettey broke the news of her breast cancer diagnosis to her husband 21 years ago, silence filled the room. It was a heavy moment, but instead of walking away, he chose to stay to fight beside her through one of life’s toughest battles.
Speaking on Luv FM’s morning show, the husband recounted the shock of hearing that his wife had breast cancer at a time when awareness of the disease was very limited. Yet, he said, his faith and confidence in his wife’s strength kept him grounded.
“At the time my wife broke the news to me, breast cancer awareness wasn’t as known as now,” he recalled. “It was surprising, but I accepted it in good faith. Prayers and the trust I had in my wife’s strength kept me going. Even if it had been very severe, I would have stood by her.”
He explained that he deliberately chose not to discuss the diagnosis with others, avoiding the negative advice that could come from public opinion. Instead, he focused on supporting his wife through prayer and encouragement.
“Men should take breast cancer education to heart, especially for the sake of their wives,” he advised. “It’s even expensive battling breast cancer, so that alone should encourage husbands to stand by their wives. Don’t abandon her.”
Vivian Gettey, now the President of the Peace and Love Breast Cancer Survivors Association, shared her side of the story, describing how the disease changed her life and tested her confidence.
She recalled that she had never screened her breast before until she accompanied her sister, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, to the hospital. “I decided to check mine too and realized I had a lump. It was at an early stage, but surgery was performed to remove it, and that was it. For 21 years now, I have been surviving,” she said.
But the journey was far from easy. Chemotherapy, she said, was one of the most painful and uncomfortable phases of her life. “My hair felt so heavy yet it easily fell off, I could peel it off as if I was opening a zip,” she said. “I became so shy of my appearance that I always covered my head.”
Her husband, however, became her greatest source of confidence. “He told me my head was beautiful and encouraged me to regain my confidence,” she said with a smile.
Today, Vivian stands as a proud survivor and advocate, while her husband’s unwavering love remains a powerful reminder that breast cancer is not a battle for one person alone, it is a journey best fought together.
Source: Jude Mawufemo Fiagbe