Maria Onasanya's Story

 Growing up at the age of 14, I was quite active and into Athletics, dance and any physical activity or sports as and so I was always scraping and banging parts of my body and so I thought it was nothing major when it all started with a lump n my left leg. Its nothing and it will soon go away so I thought to myself but then weeks turned into a month or so and the rather small lump was not so small anymore but then started growing at a pace as it started to get very hard and painful. 

Worried by this I turned to my mum who then advised me to go see my GP but as he was a male doctor and the problem area was quite high on my left thigh he said he was not allowed to examine me without a nurse present so he sent me away with some painkillers and gave me an appointment for another day. Me being the school oriented young girl I was and not taking the lump seriously, I decided not to miss school and have my GP reschedule another more convenient time. Again on my second visit it was the same problem of no nurse present and was sent home again with more painkillers. At this point the lump on my leg grew harder and was more visible when I wore shorts with my skin looking red and feeling sore around the area. 

On a particular life changing Friday afternoon and Al though I wasn't aware of it at the time, it was during a PE session and I was playing basketball with my classmates when all of a sudden I felt that I   couldn’t run as fast as I usually did and noticed my left leg was throbbing. I remember looking down at my thigh and noticed that it was swollen and red and so I was forced to sit out of that game. Looking back on things I can actually say that was my last time of engaging in any form of sports as a matter of fact. 

So later that evening at home, as my family and I prepared to go to evening service at church suddenly I felt a very sharp pain from my leg and in reflex I was forced to stand up. It was so painful that I  literally crawled downstairs to my sister, her boyfriend at that time and my mum and brother came rushing in as well. It was then that my mum decided that my sister should take me to the A&E and that's pretty much where my Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer) journey began.

After spending hours at the A&E and countless X-Rays I was told to go home but then called to come back early Saturday morning and further informed to pack some clothes. After staying in the hospital a few days I was then transferred to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham for a biopsy which then confirmed the diagnosis that it was cancer. I remember the doctor talking but I phased out all I remembered was the words AGGRESSIVE, NO AMPUTATION, even then I still thought was it that serious, it didn’t sink in quite yet until I arrived in Birmingham for my surgery. In the interim, I was taken back to Manchester children’s hospital at Pendlebury. It was there my intensive chemotherapy sessions began. The plan was to have a certain block of chemo with the hope that the chemo will kill enough of the cancer cells before I proceed to then have surgery to remove the tumour. This also meant removing the whole of my leg femur from my hip to below my knee and put in a titanium prosthesis. 

I look back today and I am grateful to God for everything and the fact that it all went as planned and although the chemo took its toll on me because I needed help to do the simplest of things like standing up, walk around, sit down still I tried to remain. If it were not for my family, good friends that God placed in my life during that period it would have been so much harder. 

Although it didn't all end like that because then there was the aftercare another hurdle I had to cross. I remember after the drain had been taken out, the physiotherapist came to assist in getting used to my new slightly hinder mobility. On that day, I was so hard on myself because I couldn't climb up more than 2 steps and I cried and my mum had to encourage me reminding me about everything that I had just been through, and drew my attention to the fact that I was still breathing, and and still had both legs that was a gift and a  testimony to God alone. I soon snapped out of it as I remembered seeing two young people of my age walk into the ward with both legs but only leaving with one. And so 

after a few more weeks in Birmingham I was to return back to Manchester to finish my second block of chemo, which lasted another 3-4 months. On the last week of my chemo treatment I remember walking to the ward with my mum with the biggest grin on my face, cliché saying it but it was like that day wasn’t going to come. From diagnosis to surgery, chemo everything the whole period lasted from February to October and not once did God allow the devil to plant seed of doubt in my mind. 

On beating cancer, it was a tough journey but I prayed to God to see me through, and with my family and friends rooting in my corner for me I didn’t want to let them down, I just couldn’t and I’m glad God gave me the strength to carry on despite the devils attempts.  

During my monthly check-up after 12-18 of me being in remission an X-Ray revealed that the tumour had return in both lungs this was back in 2010, 2years after my first diagnoses.  When my consultant broke the news to me, It felt as though my head was spinning but the world around me stood still. I had just had my high school prom was looking forward to starting College in September, making new friends and finally putting this whole cancer thing behind me, but I guess God hadn’t finish perfecting his work on me yet.  I would say I was more optimistic about this round of treatment as weird as it sounds, I thought I knew all of cancers trick and but again God had other plans. Similar to my first treatment just slightly different; first block of chemo, then surgery to remove tumours in the right lung, then recuperate allow that lung to heal, carry on with the second block of chemo, then operate on the left lung to remove remaining tumour, recover then carry on with the final stage of my chemo and hopefully I’ll come out the other end cancer free, but like I said God had his own plans for me. During my treatment people people would commend me on how strong I was for a 14year old somehow I didn't see it. Nearly 5 years now in remission honestly were has the time gone. Now at age 21 and studying at the university wow God is really good.  And although for whatever the reason was, I was so reluctant about writing this story, MY STORY, MY TESTIMONY, I selfishly thought 

why do I need to keep reminding myself of the past let bygones be bygones.  But then I randomly went on to Facebook, only to find out that one of the people I knew in hospital and who having completed his treatments experienced some complications and has since passed on RIP JOSH HALLAM. That definitely put things in perspective for me, I am alive that is a blessing and the more reason to share my story. 

For anyone reading this right now and going through any sort of hardship like sickness, abuse, bullying, ANYTHING at all believe me IT WILL GET BETTER please don't give up. The bible says sorrow last only for the night but in the morning cometh Joy. I am not the holiest, but the Lord heard my cry and he can yours too. I hope in me sharing my story with you, you can have concrete proof that your story is not over yet and there still is a happiness to the ending

Peace and Love

Maria Onasanya

Proud cancer survivor

Small yet Powerful

Dear Blossom Sister, 

You may have heard of the saying "you are going to eat those words". Well if you look deep into it, there is some truth to it. This is because what you say to yourself and what others say to you becomes your reality. Words like "you look beautiful today" or "you are such an amazing person" are to compliment and encourage you but here's what happens next. Those words go in through your ears, and then down into your soul and they make you feel so happy within. Now imagine the words spoken were negative. Did you know that the process is still the same however those negative words come back at you to fight you. Sometimes you can almost hear it so clearly as though they were two roommates in your head fighting against each other. 

Now here's the interesting part. Everyone of us has the power to CHOOSE freely. This basically means you always have a choice and because the tongue is the smallest yet mightiest part of the body, you can choose what words you allow pass through to your soul. And so the next time someone says  "you are stupid" remember you have the power to reverse those words right away by saying to yourself " I am smart". 

You do not have to allow other people's words determine if you live or die, or how much food you eat, or when to be happy or sad. Note that this same people who speak negative words into your life, also have a choice so why give them the free will to choose for you. If you have friends who often speak negative into your life the first step that you must take, is to draw their attention to it then you are to disregard any negative words spoken because you have the choice to do so. If after drawing their attention to it you see no changes then you have a right to move away from them. Again it's your choice to decide if you need such friends around you. 


Whatever your choice is do always remember you are worth it.

Now try writing this out on a sticky note pad.

NOTE TO SELF: I (insert your name) have the free will to accept positive words into my life and to discard negative words spoken to me. It's your choice to choose so choose wisely. 


Love 
Layo Remy Olowu.

Your Parents Vs Your Own dreams

I recognised that i had the boldness to speak from a very young age and so in my teenager years i developed the passion to become a TV presenter however father had his own plans for my future and so he didn't encourage mine. He believed men would get in the way of my progress and prevent me from achieving my goals. I guess he was like every other father who wants the best for his daughter yet feared the worst or perhaps he had other reason that were undisclosed to me and so that was how that part of my dream got crushed.

It's a fact that we all have been individually blessed with more than one gift we just need to recognise these gifts and pursue them. And so I discovered another one of my gifts is creativity but with a difference. So at age 16 I arrived back in England this time around with the vision of working with the fashion industry you know run way, makeup, hair the whole works. But yet again I received no encouragement there and so I began to struggle in confusion but In spite of it all I was still eager to make my dreams come true just because I loved it all so much and because my dreams just wouldn't let me be.

There are many reasons why parents don't support their children's dreams one of which is fear that their children may make similar mistakes as they did, not wanting to let go especially if you are the only child, another reason is that some parents want their children to live out their own dreams and therefore they are not quite encouraging of their children's dreams. Our dreams are never stupid because it's part of who we are, it's like that missing part of a puzzle but for the sake of the future be realistic in your pursit to achieving them. And getting an education is a very important part of achieving your dreams and that's the simple truth because you can never stop learning. You maybe the type who struggles with education and is better at using your hands that's ok too, however you can be rest assured that at some point in life you may need to take a class or two to improve your skills to match the world out there.

You ask...So how do I get my parents to be supportive of my dreams? Well to start with, it important that you know your parents love you and want the best for you therefore you should sit them down and talk about your thoughts. This is because some parents do not know to how big their children's dreams are. Now if that doesn't work, the next step is to try writing to them because you would be amazed how effective this can be. But most of all speak to the man up stairs on how you feel  because it is true he has formed you and for a purpose too.