Filmmaker Jummai Joseph has shared details of her cancer journey, explaining how she first discovered symptoms and how the diagnosis process began.
In a video posted on her Facebook page on Wednesday, she said she decided to speak about her experience after receiving questions from people and in the hope that it may help others.
She said, “Hey, beautiful people, my name is Jummai and this is the beginning of my cancer journey. I’ve never shared this in this much detail before, but many people have asked and I believe there is someone out there that needs it. Before cancer, life was normal. I was working, creating, taking care of my children, and just living day by day, just like everyone else. Cancer was not something that I ever imagined would come to me. One day, I noticed a lump in my left breast. It wasn’t painful. It didn’t look scary. At first, I ignored it. I said to myself, maybe it’s hormonal. Maybe it will go away until it became bigger and bigger and painful.
“I started having shortness of breath. I started having headaches, constant headaches. I couldn’t walk two steps and not gasp for air. It was bad. You see, as women, we tend to do this a lot. We prioritize everything and… What else? We will push ourselves, our body, to the background. But something in my spirit kept nudging me, a quiet voice saying, check it, don’t leave it. So I went to the hospital. They examined me. They ran tests. And that was the beginning of the journey I never expected. I will share the full story step by step, how I got diagnosed, the treatment, the support, the challenges, the faith, and the grace that carried me. Now, this is my personal journey, not medical advice at all. If you notice any lump or anything unusual in your body, please talk to your doctor. Early detection saves lives. Thank you so much for walking through this with me. I pray that my story brings clarity, courage, and hope to someone. I’ll talk to you again.”
She said she will continue to share her experience in stages.
Jummai was born and raised in Lagos but hails from the Igala speaking area of Kogi State. She entered Nollywood in 1995 and became active during the home video boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s. She is also a writer and film producer.
She is known for films such as Onome, where she had a minor role in 1995, Blood Money, which brought her wider attention, and Oracle, which further boosted her visibility. Other works include Disguise, Shadows, Ogidan, Ale Ariwo, Camouflage, Faces, and Culprit.
She is the chief executive officer of Kleen Image Pictures and has also worked under Pen97 Productions, where she focused more on production to create opportunities and maintain creative control over projects.
