A 36-year-old woman in Adamawa State, Blessing Steven, has cried out for help and threatened to commit suicide, after spending 14 years caring for her two chronically ill brothers, an experience that has drained her financially, physically and emotionally.
Key Highlights:
- Blessing Steven, a 36-year-old woman in Adamawa State, has cared for her two sick brothers for 14 years and is seeking urgent help.
- She became their sole caregiver after the deaths of her parents in 2012 and 2018.
- Multiple hospital visits have failed to diagnose her brothers’ illnesses, and proper treatment is unaffordable.
- She relies on petty trading, but her earnings are consumed by daily needs and medical expenses.
- She is appealing to government, NGOs, and individuals for urgent medical and financial support.
Blessing, who was born in Adamawa State to Akwa Ibom parents and resides in the Dogirei community near the Commissioners’ Quarters in Jimeta, Yola, says she has reached her breaking point after years of struggling alone to provide food, shelter and medical care for her ailing siblings.
The unemployed woman, whose life has been marked by tragedy and sacrifice, said she lost her father, Mr. Stephen, in 2012 and her mother six years later in 2018, leaving her with the responsibility of caring for her family.
Today, she shoulders the burden of looking after her two sick brothers and an elderly brother’s son who also lives with her due to family circumstances.
Speaking with emotion, Blessing said every day has become a battle for survival.
According to her, she survives through petty trading, but the little income she once earned has long been exhausted by the endless medical expenses incurred while seeking treatment for her brothers.
“I struggle every day to find something for us to eat. Feeding alone is difficult, yet I still have to think about medication and taking my brothers from one hospital to another,” she said.
She explained that despite years of medical consultations, doctors have been unable to determine the exact nature of her brothers’ illnesses.
“Every hospital I have taken them to said they could not identify the sickness.
“They advised me to take them to a standard hospital where more advanced tests can be carried out, but I cannot afford it. Even feeding is a serious challenge for us,” she lamented.
Blessing said the burden of caring for the family has left her physically, emotionally and financially drained.
Read also:
- Police tighten security ahead of Eid-el-Adha in Adamawa, Taraba
- Police arrest 20-year-old kidnap suspect ain Adamawa
- Police probe disappearance of Abuja woman after work
According to her, well-meaning individuals have occasionally offered financial assistance, food items and prayers, for which she remains grateful.
However, she said the support received so far has not been enough to provide a lasting solution to her brothers’ deteriorating health conditions.
“I appreciate everyone who has helped us in one way or another. Some people have supported us with money, materials and prayers.
“But much more is needed if my brothers are to get the treatment they require,” she said.
The distressed woman revealed that she no longer has any savings or business capital left, having spent everything she had in a desperate effort to keep her brothers alive.
“My petty business no longer brings anything. All my savings and capital have been spent on hospital bills and medication. I don’t know where to turn anymore,” she said.
Fighting back tears, Blessing disclosed that the overwhelming pressure and hopelessness have pushed her to the edge, leaving her with thoughts of ending her own life.
“I am tired. I have tried everything within my power. Sometimes I feel the only option left is to leave this world and rest because I cannot continue watching my brothers suffer without being able to help them,” she said.
Her emotional appeal has highlighted the plight of many vulnerable families struggling to access healthcare amid economic hardship.
Blessing is now calling on individuals, charitable organisations, religious groups, corporate bodies and government agencies to intervene urgently and help save her brothers’ lives.
She appealed for medical assistance, financial support and any form of humanitarian intervention that could ease the burden she has carried alone for more than a decade.
“I am begging Nigerians, government officials, NGOs and anyone who can help. Please come to our rescue. My brothers need proper medical treatment and I cannot do it alone anymore,” she pleaded.
As her cries for help grow louder, concerned residents say urgent intervention is needed to prevent a humanitarian tragedy and give hope to a family that has endured years of pain, loss and uncertainty.
