The enduring legacies of Ivy Umeh, Stacey, and Jennifer live on through the SaliHoe Foundation (CAC/IT/NO 40907). Born out of a deep love for humanity in 2010, our registered non-governmental organization has spent the last 15 years fighting to build a society completely free of cervical cancer.

To allow our global community to support this cause, this official campaign is organized by our team member, Ifeyinwa Onwukeme and because of regional crowdfunding settings, Mr. Pablo Ngando Essaka is managing the campaign withdrawals from the United Kingdom as SaliHoe Foundation’s international fundraiser consultant and official campaign beneficiary. Mr. Pablo Ngando Essaka will deliver 100% of your generous donations directly to SaliHoe Foundation to fully support our patient aid, multilingual education programs, and the establishment of a free, state-of-the-art cervical screening centers in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

Our Track Record: Saving Lives Across Nigeria

Since registering with the Corporate Affairs Commission in 2010 (CAC/IT/NO 40907), our mission has been to eliminate cervical cancer through accessible healthcare. Headquartered in Abuja, we have built a proven model of prevention, treatment, and systemic integration across Nigeria.

Here is what we have accomplished so far:

● 50,000+ Women Screened: Conducted conventional Pap smear screenings across the South West, North Central, and South East zones.

● 10,200+ Women Treated & Tracked: Provided direct medical treatment assistance and continuous follow-up tracking through our Point-of-Care services.

● 50,000+ Girls Vaccinated: Partnered with the Federal and State Ministries of Health, alongside civil society networks, to deliver routine HPV vaccinations nationwide.

● Systemic Integration: Successfully integrated cervical cancer screenings directly into antenatal care within rural primary health centres, ensuring vulnerable mothers are never left behind.

With your support, we can expand our reach, upgrade our screening facilities, and protect thousands more women and young girls from preventable cancer. Every donation brings us closer to a cervical cancer-free future.

Global Expertise & Leadership

Our work is led by Ms. Onwukeme, a dedicated Patient Advocate and the Chairperson of the SaliHoe Foundation (since 2010), who also serves as a Caregiver/Patient Advocate at the Bethesda Clinic (Dunamis International Gospel Centre Headquarters, Abuja).

To ensure our grassroots work aligns with the highest international standards, we maintain active memberships in the world's leading oncology and medical societies, including:

● Global Oncology Networks: American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), and the German Cancer Society (Member #B64730).

● Specialised Gynecologic & Cancer Societies: International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS), European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), Society of Gynaecologic Oncology (SGO), Gynaecological Oncology Society of Nigeria (GOSON), and the Nigerian Cancer Society.

● Research & Global Health Alliances: International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS), World Hepatitis Alliance (Voting Member), and the International & Canadian Associations of Psychosocial Oncology (IPOS / CAPO).

Research & Global Impact

We don't just work on the ground; we contribute to global medical science. Our team has written, published, and presented abstracts at international conferences, sharing vital data and strategies on cervical cancer prevention, treatment, and community awareness.

Award-Winning & Nationally Recognized Impact

Our grassroots efforts and innovative approach to health advocacy have earned prestigious recognition. We are proud recipients of the Prestigious Angie Courage Award Open Contest 2024, an initiative hosted by For Communities by Communities aimed at reducing vaccine-preventable cancers in Nigeria.

This award directly recognizes our success in empowering local community-based organizations (CBOs). Through compelling storytelling and deep community engagement, we break down cultural taboos, spread vital health information, and mobilize women at the absolute grassroots level to take control of their health.

In Loving Memory of Jennifer: Turning Loss into Lifesaving Action

Jennifer’s journey is a profound reminder of why our mission is so critical. During her bravest moments, SaliHoe Foundation stood by her side as a dedicated caregiver and patient advocate, providing crucial financial assistance and palliative care services.

Unfortunately, Jennifer faced immense challenges. Her cancer had already advanced and spread to her uterus and other vital organs. By the time we consulted her final medical team, she was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. At this advanced stage, medical survival rates are tragically near zero, leaving us to hope only for a miracle.

Compounding her medical battle, Jennifer faced this mountain without the support of a husband and with very minimal aid from society. Yet, she fought a long, incredibly tough battle until she sadly passed away in 2020.

Jennifer’s story could have had a different ending. Early detection is the single most powerful weapon against this disease, and it likely would have saved her life.

Today, we refuse to let Jennifer's struggle be in vain. By keeping her legacy alive alongside Ivy Umeh and Stacey, SaliHoe Foundation is turning grief into action. Your donations will directly fund free early screening, school and workplace education, and medical support so that no other woman has to fight this terrible disease alone, unsupported, or too late.

Photo of Jennifer's vagina - viewers discretion is advised.

The Urgent Need: Lessons from Jennifer’s Battle

Jennifer’s tragic passing exposed the severe systemic gaps that thousands of Nigerian women face daily. Her story highlights the critical pillars we must fix:

● The Danger of Misdiagnosis: For years, local community clinics misdiagnosed Jennifer's symptoms as common sexually transmitted infections (such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, UTIs, or syphilis), which frequently mimic the early warning signs of cervical cancer.

● Gaps in Standard Screening: Traditional Pap smears can sometimes yield false negatives. True prevention requires accessible, advanced HPV DNA screening alongside standard testing.

● Fatal Medical Delays: Due to a lack of advanced diagnostic tools in rural areas, Jennifer lost four critical years. She sought help in 2013, but did not receive a proper, extensive diagnosis until 2017—allowing the cancer to reach an untreatable stage.

● The Burden of Ignorance & Stigma: Like many women, Jennifer lacked basic awareness of HPV, uterine, vaginal, and cervical cancers. The fear of social stigmatization further delayed her from seeking specialized help. Ignorance remains the leading underlying risk factor for women in Nigeria.

● Healthcare Barriers & Infrastructure: Jennifer had no health insurance and lacked the funds to pay out-of-pocket for expensive oncology treatments. This was compounded by inexperienced local health workers and a severe lack of medical equipment at the primary health centers she visited.

● The Power of Early Detection: Late detection ultimately took Jennifer's life. Early detection is a woman's single greatest chance at survival.

Moving from Grief to Action: Our Impact and Vision

Born from the lessons of Jennifer’s battle, SaliHoe Foundation refuses to stand by while more lives are lost to preventable gaps in care. To date, our cancer control initiatives have focused heavily on grass-roots community outreaches, taking life-saving education directly to the people, dismantling the deep-seated social stigma surrounding gynecological cancers, and teaching women the power of early prevention.

However, community awareness is only the first step. To completely bridge the gap between education and clinical care, we are actively working toward our biggest milestone:

Launching Nigeria’s Free Cervical Cancer Screening & Vaccination Centers

We are currently raising funds to establish a state-of-the-art, fully free medical hubs designed to eliminate financial and geographic barriers for Nigerian women. This center will provide a comprehensive, continuous loop of care, including:

● Advanced Automated Screening: Utilizing modern, high-precision automated machines to eliminate human error and prevent the devastating misdiagnoses Jennifer or ivy Umeh experienced.

● Proactive Prevention: Distributing life-saving HPV vaccinations to young girls and women before the disease can ever take root.

● Routine Re-Screening & Follow-Up: Establishing regular check-up schedules to monitor women over time, ensuring no one falls through the cracks of the healthcare system.

● Comprehensive Case Management: Guiding patients safely through the complex medical system if abnormalities or early-stage cancers are detected.

● Palliative & End-of-Life Care: Offering dignified, professional support, pain management, and holistic advocacy for women facing advanced stages of the disease.

Our Footprint: Saving Lives Across Nigeria

Our ongoing advocacy spans multiple high-impact channels. To date, we have launched robust cervical cancer awareness campaigns across prominent television networks, radio stations, secondary schools, corporate seminars, and community events.

To bridge the communication gap, we publish and distribute free, self-explanatory educational materials including handbills, pamphlets, and booklets featuring clear visual diagrams. To ensure maximum accessibility across Nigeria, these resources are translated into the three major native languages (Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba). Through these efforts, we actively dismantle stigma while ensuring women affected by cervical cancer have immediate access to the best available treatment options, emotional support, and life-saving health information.

A core pillar of our public health sensitization programs is driving vaccine uptake and screening adherence. We are dedicated to ensuring that a significantly greater number of eligible young girls and women fully comprehend the critical importance of cervical cancer prevention. By equipping them with accurate medical facts, we empower them to overcome fear, make informed healthcare choices, and confidently utilize available screening and vaccination services.

At SaliHoe Foundation, we spearhead targeted national campaigns designed to drive systemic improvements and institutional change in healthcare policy and clinical practice. Alarmingly, statistics show that more than half of the women currently diagnosed with cervical cancer in Nigeria have received neither screening nor vaccination within the past three years. Tragically, many of these women had prior, routine contact with the healthcare system, representing critical missed opportunities for early intervention.

We conduct monthly capacity-building visits to primary healthcare facilities across diverse local communities. During these sessions, we equip frontline health workers with essential medical literature and self-educational resources. By training local clinicians to champion high standards in clinical practice, we ensure the delivery of effective cervical cancer prevention protocols and optimal patient care programs at the grassroots level.

We actively build and nurture strategic partnerships across Nigeria and globally to maximize our collective impact and secure sustainable funding models. The long-term success of our community-driven cervical cancer initiatives relies entirely on the dedication of diverse stakeholders. By joining forces with us, our partners strengthen SaliHoe Foundation's core programs, contributing the vital expertise, strategic networks, operational resources, and shared passion necessary to sustain life-saving interventions.

Youth Empowerment & Early Intervention Initiatives

To protect the next generation, we have established dedicated Anti-Cancer Clubs and Young Girls to Motherhood campaigns within female secondary schools. Equipped with tailored educational resources, we teach students about the direct correlation between the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer. Our curriculum emphasizes comprehensive prevention strategies, including the vital role of abstinence in preventing the sexual transmission of HPV during adolescent years.

Confidential Counseling, Advocacy, & Stigma Management

We provide free, completely confidential counseling sessions through both in-person clinics and telephone support networks. Our specialized counselors empower women to overcome the fear of social stigmatization by teaching them effective psychological coping mechanisms. Furthermore, we gently guide patients on how to safely communicate their diagnosis to trusted family members, fostering a strong network of emotional and domestic support during their medical journey.

Financial Aid & Compassionate Continuum of Care

We alleviate the financial burden of oncology treatments by directly paying off outstanding medical debts for underprivileged patients. Alongside this financial aid, we offer fully free palliative and end-of-life care services, ensuring that individuals facing advanced stages of illness receive a dignified, pain-free, and compassionate environment regardless of their financial status.

Become an Advocate for Vaccination Project

We spearheaded the "Become an Advocate for Vaccination" initiative to mobilize and train grassroots community leaders. We equip these advocates with evidence-based medical data regarding the efficacy, safety, and long-term benefits of the HPV vaccine. Armed with accurate information, our advocates engage family networks, peers, and colleagues, dispelling vaccine hesitancy and empowering parents to make informed, life-saving vaccination decisions for their children.

The Heartbreaking Reality: Stories from the Frontlines

In Memory of Ivy Umeh

The devastating impact of this disease is heaviest when it strikes a new mother. Mrs Ivy Umeh was only 30 years old when she lost her life to cervical cancer, leaving behind an enduring legacy that our foundation is committed to honoring. Ivy developed cervical cancer shortly after giving birth. While she was actively breastfeeding her newborn baby, she sought medical help in Nigeria for severe symptoms.Tragically, she was repeatedly misdiagnosed. Clinicians mistook her condition for a pregnancy loss and subjected her to medical evacuations, completely missing the underlying cancer. By the time she was finally referred to the National Hospital Abuja, specialized teams discovered the advanced cervical cancer. Although treatment was immediately commenced, the critical window for intervention had closed. Ivy sadly passed away due to the fatal combination of prolonged misdiagnosis and late detection. We carry her name forward to ensure no other breastfeeding mother is failed by the system.

Hadiza Bala’s Struggle

As medical practitioners, watching women lose their lives to an entirely preventable disease is devastating. We recently met 35-year-old Hadiza Bala from Kebbi State, who is currently fighting advanced-stage cervical cancer. She presented with severe, profuse genital bleeding, a tragic hallmark of late-stage progression. Her required radiotherapy treatments cost approximately ₦600,000, an amount far beyond her reach. Her eldest child is only 20 years old and lacks the financial empowerment to help save her mother. Through our volunteer clinical network, we are doing everything we can to manage her pain in a small community clinic, but she needs systemic help.

The Unnamed Widow's Tragedy

Shortly after, we came across another heartbreaking case, a brave widow and mother of four children battling Stage IV cervical cancer. At this most advanced stage, the cancer had already aggressively spread to her vital organs. She was in such severe pain that she could barely manage the daily care of her young children. Tragically, before our foundation could coordinate the necessary advanced medical interventions, she passed away. She left behind four grieving children, with her eldest son being only 14 years old at the time of her passing.

Jennifer’s Battle

Jennifer was only 30 years old when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Her medical records showed that her HPV infection originated in the exocervix (vagina) and aggressively migrated upward toward the endocervix (uterus), eventually spreading to other vital organs. As a wife and mother, Jennifer was deeply cherished by the SaliHoe Cancer Care Team, who stepped in as her primary caregivers and patient advocates, providing financial aid and palliative care. Tragically, her husband abandoned her following her diagnosis, leaving her with minimal societal support. After fighting a long, exhausting battle utilizing both conventional treatments and alternative care, Jennifer passed away in 2020, leaving behind a 5-year-old son.

Stacey’s Memory

Stacey was another vibrant young woman who was deeply connected to the SaliHoe Cancer Care Team. She was just 26 years old when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Similar to Jennifer, her HPV infection began in the exocervix (vagina) and steadily advanced into the endocervix (uterus). Stacey fought with incredible bravery, but the disease cut her young life short. Today, we keep Stacey's legacy alive through our unyielding commitment to raising the funds necessary to support women fighting gynecological cancers, ensuring no other young woman faces this terrible disease unsupported.

These heartbreaking outcomes are not isolated incidents. Reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that cervical cancer claims the life of one woman every single hour in Nigeria. Nigeria should possess some of the finest cancer care facilities globally, but systemic deficiencies, governance gaps, and public health neglect continue to cost countless lives.

Driven by a profound love for humanity, SaliHoe Foundation was registered in 2010 with a singular, unwavering vision: to build a society completely free of cervical cancer. By God's grace, we have stood on the front lines for 16 years and counting, fighting to protect our mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, and friends from this entirely preventable disease.

Nigeria possesses the wealth and talent to house some of the best oncology centers in the world. Instead, systemic corruption, political greed, and a devastating lack of empathy from our leaders have left our public hospitals broken and stripped of working equipment. This institutional negligence has led to countless avoidable deaths across the country, forcing families to watch their loved ones suffer without proper care.

Our governments have abandoned their duties, the burden falls on us. We refuse to let more women die from a treatable disease due to state failure. This GoFundMe campaign bypasses broken promises to deliver urgent cervical cancer screenings, vaccines, and treatment support directly to vulnerable women who have been left behind. Please stand with SaliHoe Foundation today. Your donation will directly bridge this fatal gap and save a life.

Currently, our foundation is supporting a significant number of women who are actively battling this dreaded disease. However, the hopeful truth is that we can end this menace entirely. Cervical cancer is highly preventable if women have access to regular screenings and if young girls are fully vaccinated before their first sexual encounter.

To bridge the gap between community education and clinical survival, we are actively raising funds to build a dedicated, fully free cervix screening and vaccination hubs in the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

Transparency, Accountability, and Vetted Trust

We understand that international donors require absolute financial transparency. The SaliHoe Foundation is a highly structured, fully audited entity:

● Official Corporate Registration: Registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria (Registration Number: CAC/IT/NO 40907), headquartered in Wuse Zone 7, Abuja.

● Anti-Money Laundering Certified: Fully cleared and issued a SCUML Certificate by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria, ensuring rigorous accountability for every single donation.

● Strategic Partnerships & Institutional Grants: We actively build and nurture cross-sector partnerships both locally and globally, as eradicating cervical cancer requires a unified coalition. Our partners reinforce our community initiatives by contributing vital expertise, strategic networks, and operational resources. Furthermore, to ensure the long-term sustainability of our programs, we have submitted robust grant applications to several competitive open calls this year. We are confidently awaiting these outcomes to expand and continue our life-saving HPV and cervical cancer elimination work across Nigeria.

Every single donation, no matter how small, could be the exact miracle a family is praying for. Please join our global coalition to save our sisters, wives, daughters, and mothers from this entirely preventable disease.

Thank you for your life-saving generosity. For more details on our organization, please visit our official website at www.salihoefoundations.org.

HELP US BUILD CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING CENTER IN NIGERIA

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