Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, the widow of the late former governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has shared that eliminating starchy foods from her diet played a significant role in her survival after being diagnosed with breast cancer 27 years ago.
Mrs. Anyanwu-Akeredolu explained that her decision to cut out eba, amala, akpu, and pounded yam was motivated by her desire to stay alive and raise her young children.
In a social media post commemorating World Cancer Day, she described her cancer journey as a “mix of triumph and grief,” stressing how lifestyle changes, research, and medical treatment helped her survive.
She wrote, “If giving up Coke, soft drinks, and starchy foods like eba, pounded yam, amala, and akpu would extend my life—knowing that sugar and starch promote cancer growth—then that’s what I did.”
Since 2000, she has avoided sugary and starchy foods, instead choosing a diet rich in vegetables, smoothies, green tea, lemon and ginger tea, beans, moimoi, fish, chicken, snail, occasional rice, and zobo drink.
The former First Lady of Ondo State, whose husband passed away from prostate cancer on December 23, 2023, emphasized that her positive attitude was key to her survival.
She credited her decision to seek medical care at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, rather than relying on spiritual healers, as a critical step in her recovery.
She also noted that she was fortunate to have detected the cancer early, at stage 1.
As the founder of the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN), she underscored the importance of Team Survivors Nigeria (TSN), a support group for breast cancer survivors.
