Biography of Ellen Adeyinka Anjorin
Ellen Adeyinka Anjorin (nee Adedoyin) who hailed from Fiditi in Oyo State was born in 1962 at Ogbomoso, Oyo State of Nigeria. She attended Iwo Baptist High School, later Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo for her Higher School Certificate (HSC) also known as Advance Level before proceeding to University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where she bagged a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics in 1984.
She served her country, Nigeria during the Youth Service at Societe Generale Bank, Port Harcourt Branch. She got married in 1989 and her work-life path spanned through Oyo State Teaching Service; Peat Marwick, Ani, Ogunde and Partners; Societe Generale Bank; Modern Age Educational Services (MAGES); City Express Bank; Bamaka International School; Dunamis Microfinance; GS Microfinance and Integrated Home Savings and Loans Ltd. All through, she enjoyed a very sound and good health of mind and body.
In the latter part of 2016, she took ill and was finally diagnosed with Colonic Cancer on 27th December. She had a successful operation on 1st January 2017. Complications set in mid-year and she had another successful corrective operation. Complications set in again and she went through another successful operation in 2018.
The situation of her health got out of hand with the administration of Chemotherapy in 2019 while we watched helplessly as she passed through excruciating pain, decimated body before she finally gave up on July 7, 2019.
I, my children, extended family members, close friends, intimate associates and concerned Church members and neighbours became devastated by this sight, experience and situation.
With this episode, we came to understand and appreciate better, the predicament, problems and suffering of Cancer Patients, Cancer Survivors and their families. We gained insight not only into the enormous financial cost of treatment but also of the paucity of functioning relevant types of machinery and equipment, as well as insufficiency of a number of specialised centres for cancer treatment. In a country like Nigeria, with a population of about 186 million people, according to International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), nothing less than 200 cancer centres with well-equipped facilities and professionally trained ethical person should be spatially distributed or positioned within the six geopolitical zones in the country.
We as a family, with other groups, were moved by these critical and pitiful situations and on August 2, 2019, during the burial service of Ellen, announced the formation of this foundation as a way of lending to various on-going efforts nationally and globally, in combating cancer.
EAACF is to become a living memorial to the spirit of Ellen, whose life was claimed by this devastating disease.
The main focus of this foundation would be awareness on Primary and Secondary prevention of all forms of cancer, screening and testing. The strategic project will be establishment of a world-class cancer centre which would be affordable to all.
The Foundation is a non-profit organisation but will mobilise well-meaning organisations and individuals across the globe to raise fund that would be used to actualise the set objectives.