On Friday, Aril 15, 2016, friends of Debbie Osarere Idiagbonya. The popular cancer victim who died in the United States of America on Friday, April 1, 2016 – had a candle light walk for her, as a way of paying their last respect since her funeral won’t be in Nigeria.
The walk was to kick off at Conoil Filling Station in Onipanu along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, where Debbie used to live and end at the Surulere stadium. But it was not so as the turnout was really low.
The organizers expected that there was going to be a lot of people present just like the #WalkforDebbie campaign that was done in 2012 to help raise funds to enable her travel for treatments.
The #WalkforDebbie campaign in 2012 attracted a lot of people and it was a success as a lot of T-shirts were sold and the proceeds were given to Debbie for her treatment.
The candle light walk was to commence at 5pm, but instead, it was delayed till 7pm just to see if more people would turn up. Due to the low turnout, the walk route was changed from Onipanu to Yaba Bus-Stop.
At the last stop in Yaba, prayers were said for Debbie and her family.
ENCOMIUM Weekly participated in the walk and also had the opportunity to speak with three of her close friends on the type of person Debbie was…
TOSIN
Can you remember the last time you spoke with Debbie and what she said to you?
It was on Snapchat, few days before she passed on. She talked about her health because I lost a friend to cancer last year. So, we talked about her health and she said she was hopeful, but then went away. Debbie was strong and had a lot of faith that she fought hard to stay alive. She was a very good friend.
MOJISOLA
Can you remember the last time you spoke with Debbie and what she said to you?
We spoke early in the year in January. When I saw her Snapchat, I prayed for her that God would see her through.
What kind of person was Debbie to you?
She was a really nice person. She had a very good heart.
TOSIN
What kind of person was Debbie to you?
She was awesome and she was a kind friend. She was friendly and really naughty too. I would miss her a lot. I know she would be looking down and smiling from wherever she is.
Debbie, 31, died on Friday, April 1, 2016, at the Howard University Teaching Hospital, Washington DC, USA, where she was receiving treatment for lung and skull cancer. She’s set to be buried on Friday, April 30, 2016.
She died after battling cancer for five years. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 and was able to travel to America for surgery and treatment. She became well till she was again diagnosed with bone cancer in April 2015, when she also received treatment for and survived until she was down with lung and skull cancer again in December 2015. She was receiving treatment at the time for her death.
The gofundme page created to raise money for her burial is still running and at the time of this report, a total of $8,145 has been raised by 176 people in 14 days. The amount needed for the burial is $30,000.
-TINUOLA JOSEPH