Breast Cancer Survivor Fafa Gozo Shares Her Journey of Resilience and Hope

For Fafa Gozo, a Ghanaian woman, being alive is a blessing she no longer takes for granted. After facing breast cancer and enduring the challenges of treatment, she has learnt to appreciate life differently, embrace change and find strength in an experience she once feared would end her life. Her life changed when she discovered a lump in her breast while breastfeeding her youngest child. She sought medical attention, and further examinations led to a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer.

The news was difficult to accept, particularly as she had a young child and family responsibilities to consider. Chemotherapy began almost immediately, weakening her body, and she had to return to the hospital for further care. Beyond medication, she needed emotional strength to cope with the physical and psychological demands of the experience. Nevertheless, she continued with treatment, drawing strength from her faith and determination to live. May 2022 marked the end of her chemotherapy, bringing relief after months of treatment.

In June, she began another phase of her journey, focusing on recovery and rebuilding her life. Healing was gradual, requiring physical and emotional adjustments. Just when she thought the worst was over, another health concern arose; bringing renewed anxiety and the need for further medical attention. The experience taught her that recovery does not always follow a straight path. It requires patience, courage and the willingness to face uncertainty.

Despite the difficulties, Ms Gozo has chosen to embrace the woman she has become rather than dwell on what she has lost. “The old Fafa is gone, but I am loving the new Fafa. I appreciate the new Fafa more and take life easy because now I know life is very short and very vulnerable. Everyone is at risk,” she said. Her story serves as a reminder of the importance of resilience and hope in the face of adversity.

Meanwhile, in a different field, Lawyer Raphael Nyarkotey Obu has achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming the first African naturopath to qualify as a lawyer in two West African countries. He was called to the Ghana Bar in October 2026, following his earlier admission to the Bar in The Gambia in November 2024. His journey to this achievement began in the Shai-Osudoku area of Greater Accra, where he grew up and developed an interest in natural medicine.

Nyarkotey's professional story combines natural medicine, academic leadership and legal training in a way rarely seen on the continent. He has been an educator, researcher, author and advocate for stronger standards in Ghana's developing natural medicine sector. His achievement raises questions about how he will use the law to improve the regulation of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM) in Africa.

Nyarkotey's experience with the Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC) and the Traditional Medicine Practice Act, 2000 (Act 575), has informed his desire to contribute to laws that separate legitimate professional training from unsupported claims, define safe scopes of practice, provide fair disciplinary processes and protect patients. His goal is regulation that is firm, clear and suitable for Africa's diverse healthcare landscape.

Key points

• Fafa Gozo's journey with breast cancer serves as a reminder of the importance of resilience and hope in the face of adversity.
• Lawyer Raphael Nyarkotey Obu has become the first African naturopath to qualify as a lawyer in two West African countries.
• Nyarkotey aims to use his law qualification to improve the regulation of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine in Africa.