December 16, 2024 • 22 mins
Imagine the version of you who has overcome every challenge, embraced resilience, and is living her fullest life. What does she look like? How does she carry herself each day? Tune into today’s episode to unlock the mindset and habits that will help you step into the empowered version of yourself.
Join us as Simone Roche MBE sits down with broadcaster and entrepreneur, Ngunan Adamu, as she shares her inspiring journey of resilience, strength, and self-discovery. In this episode, Ngunan opens up about her personal battle with breast cancer and how she found courage in the face of adversity. She also discusses the importance of financial preparedness, self-care, and embracing life’s blessings.
They also talk about…
Ngunan’s emotional journey through her breast cancer diagnosis
How she found strength and vulnerability during her toughest moments
The critical role of financial security and insurance for entrepreneurs
The therapeutic benefits of travel for mental health
How Ngunan became a godparent to the Queen Anne liner and embraced her cultural identity as a Nigerian Scouser
Her advice on resilience, facing fears, and navigating life’s challenges with grace
Join us for a powerful conversation on embracing resilience, prioritising self-care, and stepping into your inner warrior.
Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, hello and welcome to the we Are Power
podcast.
If this is your first time here, the we Are Power podcast is
the podcast for you, your careerand your life.
We release an episode everysingle Monday with listeners in
over 60 countries worldwide,where you'll hear personal life
stories, top-notch industryadvice and key leadership
insight from amazing role models.
(00:21):
As we Are Power is the umbrellabrand to Northern Power Women
Awards, which celebrateshundreds of female role models
and advocates every year.
This is where you can hearstories from all of our awards
alumni and stay up to date witheverything.
Mpw Awards and we Are PowerNever imitated, never replicated
(00:42):
singularly wonderful,everybody's wonder girl.
Today I am joined by theawesome Ganan Adamu broadcaster,
entrepreneur, superhero, legend, godparent, but we'll come back
to that.
Welcome.
Thank you, samu.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
How are you?
You know it's a funny question,matt.
I feel good, I feel fantasticmentally.
I'm just waiting for the bodyto catch up.
So it's a funny one becausewhen I got diagnosed with cancer
, with breast cancer um, Ididn't tell no one for two
months.
So when I was out and about anddoing what I was doing and
(01:21):
people say, how are you?
It just felt that question justfelt so deep because when I was
answering it it felt like I waslying, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm
good, but then I'll just be like, oh god, you know, because I'm
not, I was still waiting formore tests to come up and, you
know, more biopsies.
So it was just a really crazytime in my life.
But now I just feel like aweight's being lifted.
(01:43):
I feel so good, um, I feel good, I look good and I've got a
little bit more energy as well.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
So why?
What was the decision about nottelling everyone?
Keeping it uh to yourself?
I think, because you have andthis is just to say you have,
you don't know this woman rightfollow on social, but you have
such a big community and a bigpresence, not just in the city
of Liverpool but beyond global.
Yeah, oh god, of course shouldhave said that.
(02:13):
Should I do the intro again?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
global legend you know what it was, I think I.
Just when I first found outthey said you know, you've got
breast cancer but you still needto have more biopsies.
And at that time I just didn'tfeel that I could tell anyone
because I wasn't ready for thequestions, because I was waiting
for the questions and for theanswers.
(02:35):
So the only person I told wasmy mum, and I remember, um, I
had my biopsy and then I had togo back and the doctor said to
me, you know, it's breast cancer.
And she told me what type ofbreast cancer it was.
And then she said, um, and shesaid you seem so calm and I said
, well, I just don't.
(02:56):
You know, I already knew and mybody told me something wasn't
right anyway.
So I kind of knew what she wasgoing to say.
But also I think it was a bitof shock because, even though
you know, it's like hearing it,it's a totally different ball
game.
And then I remember I was socalm until they took me into
(03:16):
another room, so the nurse tookme to explain everything to me
and I just remember saying howam I going to tell my son?
And that's when I broke down,so I wasn't bothered by anyone
else.
It was the case of how do Itell my son, because he am I
going to tell my son, and that'swhen I broke down, so I wasn't
bothered by anyone else.
It was a case of how do I tellmy son, because he's such he's
my little friend, like he's mybest mate, you know, and he's
such a deep thinker as well, soI just didn't want to break it
to him.
So, yes, I just didn't feellike I wanted to share it at
(03:39):
that time.
But also even just saying theword cancer would make me choke
up.
And I just remember getting inthe car because he said to me um
, who have you come with?
And I said no one.
And like, okay, and are youdriving?
And I said yeah, and literallyI remember driving driving home.
I had the best Spotify playlist.
I was listening to gospel R&B,I was listening to it.
(04:02):
But that journey probably tookme 20 minutes, but it felt like
an hour because I was justoverthinking, everything
overthinking.
And then I got home and all thefamily was in the house as well
.
So I was like, are you kiddingme?
So I had to kind of containmyself and then wait until the
kids had gone out and mybrothers had gone out and then I
said to my mum, um, I've gotcancer.
(04:24):
And then she was like it's okay.
And I was like I cried for abit and then I was like it is
okay and she went.
You know what?
She went, cancer came to thewrong person and I went yeah, it
did.
She's like you're a warrior.
And I was like, yes, I am.
You know, it's like, and thatwas it then.
So I did me cry and then it wasjust waiting for the other
biopsies and I did.
(04:44):
You know, I did it all.
I went to all my appointments.
For the first two biopsies Iwent by myself.
And I remember my second biopsy.
They had to give me ananesthetic and I was just, I
just felt this little prick andI just started crying and they
were like the ladies were sayingI'm so sorry, and I said, no,
it doesn't hurt.
(05:07):
I was like I just don't know whyit's happening to me.
I don't want to be here in thissituation, um and I.
But then I just thought it'sfine, I'm in an amazing country,
I'm in an amazing city thatactually knows what they're
doing, and I just felt so good.
So once I got all my testresults.
That's when I just shared itwith the family and my brothers
didn't know what to do withthemselves because I'm the only
girl as well and I'm, like the,the second mom of the house.
(05:30):
But, um, once I got that out theway, then I was able to kind of
jump, you know, do what I do,what I love doing best, which is
jump on on video and audio andjust tell everyone.
But I just wanted to.
The reason why I went on, um onthe socials and and told people
while I was in Marrakesh wasbecause, um, I felt I felt
(05:54):
cheated because I'd been tellingmy GP practice for like 18
months that you know, I thinksomething's not right and they
just weren't listening to me.
And I wanted to kind of be thatvoice for other women, and
especially women of colour, andsay if you genuinely, if you
know something's not right,don't stop, just keep on
persisting until you get thatone GP that listens to you.
(06:16):
So I was just buried on by byanger, really, um, and
frustration with, with thesystem and the misdiagnosis of
women of colour.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
It's through the roof , isn't it?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Oh, it's awful.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
But you spurred on.
How many did you say 10?
Multiple.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Oh God, I had so many women come to me saying you
know, you've encouraged me to goand get checked.
I even had a hug in Tesco, likeliterally, she'd come off the
till and she was like I saw yourvideo.
She went, can I give you a hug?
And she said you know, I founda lump and I've been scared to
go to my GP practice.
She went.
(06:53):
Well, seeing your video, I'mgoing and I just thought, if I
can, I can encourage as manywomen as possible to persist.
Then I've done my job, you know.
But to persist, then I've donemy job, you know.
But the journey is not over.
You know, women like us, wealways find another purpose.
We can't stop with new purposes, can we?
So for me, it was all rightthen.
I just need to keep peopleupdated, because I've never gone
(07:14):
through cancer before, you know, um, but also I wanted, I know
that the way my brain works isvery special, um, I'm very
logical, so I'm not an emotionalperson in that sense.
So I like to get my emotions outthe way.
And brain works is very special, um, and very logical, so I'm
not an emotional person in thatsense.
So I like to get my emotionsout the way and think all right,
then what's the next step?
What do we need to do?
So already I've got all theseideas, um, of how do we make the
(07:37):
system better for women andwomen of color, but also with um
, women from working classcommunities.
You know, one of the rants thatI had on my social was it is a
postcode lottery.
So it's not just about beingblack or brown or, you know,
middle East.
None of that it's.
It could be a postcode, youknow, and I shouldn't have to
pay for for extra for privatecare, just to be taken seriously
(08:01):
or just to be seen.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
And I just wanted to really push that message out.
And that's some people will say, that's really brave if you to
go out and make yourself openand vulnerable and educate, as
you're still learning yourself.
But one of the things I sawthis week was talking about, uh,
entrepreneur yeah as well asbroadcaster, global legend, all
those other things.
But you talked about theworries financially that
entrepreneurs particularly canhave and actually in work, if
(08:33):
you've not got critical lifecover or certain type of
healthcare, it's a vulnerableplace, isn't it to be in?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
You know what, simone ?
It's so scary and and I wasspared on to get my, to get life
insurance, because I was buyinga house and if I wouldn't have
done, if I wouldn't have donethat, I wouldn't be in this
situation where I'm notliterally I am stress free, you
know.
So everyone's like, oh my God,you look well because I'm not
worried about my finances andI'm not worried about my bills.
(09:01):
So I got life insurance withcritical illness cover as well
as salary protection or salarycover, and but because I was
working internationally backthen my insurers were like
you've got to go for like thetop end, because if anything
happens to you on one of yourtrips, your work trips, then you
just don't want your familyworrying about, you know,
(09:23):
bringing your body back ormedical, because I wasn't, I
wasn't in Europe, I was inAfrica or I was in Asia, so I
would have had to then getsupport from the British embassy
and all these things.
So they really, you know, scaredme to the point where I was
like all right, then whateveryou need to add on, put it on
there.
And it was only when a friendof mine, she, then said, um,
(09:45):
whatever you need, let me know,I'll, you know, I'll loan you
some money.
And then she said, have you gotlife insurance?
And I was like I actually doyou know, because I totally
forgot about it.
It's like you know mostsubscriptions you just keep on
paying.
Then one day you look and go,what's that 10 pounds for?
Or um, and literally I justcalled me um insurers and just
said, look, I've been diagnosedwith breast cancer and just want
(10:08):
to check if my insurance, myinsurance, covers it.
And they were like, yeah, itcovers it.
And they asked me a fewquestions and then they sent the
bulk of the paperwork to my, mynurse, my breast care nurse and
my doctor.
So they did the rest.
So I just didn't have to doanything.
Wow, no stress, no, nothing.
But when I've spoken to otherwomen, not everyone's had that
success story.
(10:28):
But also, if you're this isanother thing if you have
genetic and family-relatedbreast cancer, some insurance
will not cover you.
So mine is oestrogen-related.
So you've got to make sure thatif you're getting out insurance
, seeing what it covers you butalso doing your research as well
(10:48):
, um, I mean people can get incontact with me and ask me who
my insurers are.
I'm more more than happy toshare that.
But I remember from myconversation with me insurers to
my um, this, my breast cancernurse getting my paperwork.
The whole process took aboutfour weeks and I just got a
phone call while I was at theairport and they were saying, oh
(11:09):
, it's gone through and you'llget it in two, three days.
And when they told me about itI was like that's nice, more
holidays and and that travel hasbeen icy as your outlet.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
You're kind of right, this is going to be my space
now to go.
I'm going to go travel, yeah,so before not that you weren't
like Judith Chalmers, anyway,actually people like who's
You're kind of right, this isgoing to be my space now to go.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I'm going to go travel.
Not that you weren't likeJudith Chalmers anyway.
Actually, people are like who'sJudith Chalmers?
It's her.
Google it.
So yeah.
So when, the funny thing is,it's all happened by chance.
So, before my surgery, mycousin we'd already planned the
year before to go to marrakechand she was coming from brooklyn
, I was coming from liverpool,and I said so I don't think I'm
going to be able to go becausementally I just don't think I'm
(11:55):
fit enough to go.
While I'm trying to navigatethis new, this new life of mine,
and, um, I think I meditatedand I was like I'm, you know so
went to Marrakesh, had the besttime, like literally the best
time ever, stayed in the fourseasons, I was feeling quite
close.
(12:15):
And then when I got back, I hadmy surgery a week later, but it
put me in such a good space, youknow, good mental headspace, I
was ready for it.
And then, similar, similarthing my mate had booked to go
on a cruise and she said look,I've booked the cabin.
It'll cost me an extra 200pounds to add your name to it.
Um, let me know if you want tocome.
(12:36):
And again I was like you knowwhat?
Why not?
Because I was then waiting forthe results of my um, my surgery
, to know whether, whether ornot I need a chemotherapy,
radiotherapy.
So, yeah, I was off, came backon the Monday, tuesday, had me
appointment and got me you knowme, um my treatment, I'll say my
biopsy results from themastectomy.
(12:58):
And again, I'm waiting to startradiotherapy in December.
So I'm gonna go away again, youknow, gonna go away again.
I think, um, it's, it's anabsolute, it's an absolute
privilege.
Um, we take so much for grantedin terms of what we can and
can't do, especially as women.
We're so bothered about whateveryone else thinks oh, you're
(13:20):
going away again, or you've gotthis nice car, you've got nice
like it's.
We're always second guessingourselves and feeling like we're
not deserve.
We don't deserve all these nicethings.
And actually being faced withcancer, I think for me has
completely changed, changed mymindset, because now I'm just
like no, I am amazing, I do this, I work, I work so hard, you
(13:42):
know, so why can't I enjoymyself?
Um, but also I was having aconversation with someone else
who's gone through cancer andshe was saying it's interesting
when you're sitting there andthe doctor's telling you you
know, it's a matter of life ordeath.
You know, if you don't get thistreatment you could die within
five years, if you, you know.
So literally thinking, allright, then for someone like me,
(14:05):
I've done everything right.
You know I don't drink, I don'tsmoke, you know.
And when I say don't drink, Istopped drinking a year ago, but
now and again I'd have like aglass of red wine, but I wasn't
a big drinker and I go to thegym.
So I've done everything right.
You know I meditate.
So when you get that kind ofthat cancer diagnosis, you go.
(14:31):
You know what F?
It I'm, you go, you know whateff it I'm.
Just, you know.
But also I've been because I'vebeen forced to stop.
I'm not bothered about losingwork.
Does that make sense?
Because before it's like oh, ifI don't do it, then someone
else is gonna do it, then maybethey might forget about me, and
whereas now I'm like you knowwhat there's, so I I need to
practice what I preach.
There's room for everyone, yeah, you know, and there's so many
new up and coming talents outthere that deserve, deserve that
(14:53):
space.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
But Moving on and we send you all our love and we'll
be with you.
We know what the WhatsAppgroups are like for wrapping the
love around, so people can'tforget about you because, quite
frankly, you will always come to, because you are one of only
five people in the world thatare a godparent to a cruise ship
.
Yeah Right, so this year it wasQueen Anne.
(15:17):
Is it the Queen Anne the newCunard liner?
I didn't even know that tillthe big ceremony this year.
It was Queen Anne.
Is it the Queen Anne the newCunard liner?
There's always I didn't evenknow that till the big ceremony
this year but always have agodparent, and this year they
announced five legends ofLiverpool I know and being one
of those godparents you andSporty Spice.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Oh, it was amazing.
It was amazing.
So the way it worked out wasnormally they have a royal
family and obviously you knowLiverpool's history, um, and
they decided to bestow the cityof Liverpool as the the
guardians of, um, the Queenurahaywood, um, so we were all it
was.
Honestly, when I got that emailI thought it was a joke because
(16:11):
I was reading it.
And then I read it again.
Then I was like, can you giveme a call?
Because I thought there's noway that you're naming me one of
the godparents to this ship,because in my, in my head, I was
like there's so many amazingwomen in the city and, um, but
it was nice because we all hadour individual reasons, um, why
they picked us.
So it was just, yeah, it was,it was mental, but also a lot of
(16:35):
things were embargoed as well.
So I didn't know Mel C orKaterina Johnson or Laura I
didn't know any of them werepart of it.
So they said to me it was 10women.
Yeah, to kind of throw.
You know, throw a fit, what isit called?
I don't even know theterminology.
But they said look, there's 10women and you can't say anything
.
So then later on I was like whoelse is the?
(16:56):
And they said who else is the?
And he said we can't tell you.
So I didn't find out until itwas like 48 hours later.
Yeah, and I didn't realize howbig it was either.
So when it all happened I waslike, are you kidding me?
You know, I've never been sonervous in my life.
And then my mum turned off andshe was like, oh my god, like
this is crazy.
But the funny thing is my mum'squite spoilt now because she's
(17:18):
been to Buckingham Palace withme, where they loved her, nobody
was bothered about quite spoiltnow because she's been to
Buckingham Palace with me, wherethey loved her.
Nobody was bothered about me,they loved her because she wore
her beautiful Nigerian attire.
So everyone kept on takingpictures of her and then being a
godparent to the Queen Anne andthen seeing Andre Pacelli, and
it was just, it was absolutelyamazing.
So I always say a lot of theseaccolades, I number one.
(17:43):
It's not just about me, it'sabout what I represent and it's,
you know, the women of the city, and it's also, um, my heritage
as well.
Um, and then the hard work thatmy grandparents did in this
country, you know.
So I'm just a result of myfamily as well as how the city
has shaped me.
For me, it's definitely a caseof giving back to the city.
You know, I remember someone's.
(18:04):
I always, I always said I'm aNigerian Scouser.
Always.
And someone was like what doyou mean?
You're a Nigerian Scouser?
I was like why am I going tocall myself a British Nigerian?
It's being Scouse that'sactually made me who I am, you
know, and I love my accent, youknow, I've been here since I was
three, so, yeah, so being agodparent was just, I just
(18:25):
wanted to cry.
I did.
I wanted to cry because, again,it's that classic thing that we
do as women where weunderestimate our roles in the
city, in the country, you know.
And then I had to take stockand go.
Actually, gunnar gonna know,you've done a lot, you know, and
, like yourself, you're noteveryone sees the work that you
do.
And when I was beinginterviewed and I was saying
(18:48):
actually, no, I've done this,I've done that, then I was like
you know what you deserve, this,you do, you deserve this.
So, yeah, it was, um, it was asurreal moment.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Well, I think my final kind of question, which
must have been more surreal thananything, was some of those
turquoise carpet moments atEurovision.
So last year Eurovision wasprobably the most bonkers time
that I've ever known in thiscity.
It was for me and Rob living onthe waterfront.
We went to everything every day.
(19:20):
There was always something fourweeks of crazy, like Sophie
Ellis-Bexter playing a disco inJohn Lewis and Sam Ryder playing
on the top of some.
It was bogus.
Now please tell me you're stillin the WhatsApp groups for for
your vision?
Speaker 2 (19:32):
oh, we are.
And the funny thing is we, westill, like we know what's going
on politically as well.
So it's just, it's funny.
It is funny and, uh, you know,if I've ever heard of the
Eurovision blues like it wascrazy, because we're all on such
(19:52):
a high, like we were workinglike 14 nowadays, it was mad.
So once that all stopped, itwas like, oh my god, what do we
do?
What do we do with our lives?
What do we do next?
Because you could dress how youwanted to dress and nobody
judged you.
You know, you could.
I mean, it was just bonkers,absolutely bonkers.
I look back at videos of when wewere doing the podcast
(20:14):
Eurovision cast.
I'm just plugging that outthere.
It's still, it's still on there, it's still on the iPlayer.
Um, when I was doing Eurovisioncast, there's so many surreal
moments because I was with, youknow, mon's Zelima Love, who's
like the, it's like the Elvis ofum of Eurovision, and literally
it was like our banter wascrazy.
And you know I'm going to watchthe live performances and and
(20:37):
you realize, those momentsyou'll never get again, you know
.
So there's parts of me thatgoes even with everything I've
gone through with the cancer.
Actually I've had some amazingmoments that people could wish
for.
You know, like my son now I'mlike do I write a book now or
later?
Speaker 1 (20:54):
I reckon your son do write a book, right?
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Yeah, I guess Honestly but it is, it's just.
It's just, it's um.
Yeah, I've been so, so lucky,um.
Someone said to me stop sayinglucky, say blessed.
I've been so blessed, honestly,I mean, I'm not dying, just
saying that I'm not dying, it'sjust I'm.
I'm taking stock of everythingthat I've gone through, um, and
I have I've been so blessed withthe opportunities I've been
(21:17):
given.
I've definitely got about 50guardian angels looking out for
me and I'm, if I like, next yearit's going to be crazy, just
like you know, just like nextyear, because I've been
nominated for another award.
I can't tell you about that yet, but next year it's going to be
a big year for me and iWoman aswell.
(21:37):
So there's loads of stuff thatI've been doing.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
There's a million things we could talk about, but
you'll be back next year.
We can have an update.
Yeah, we can hopefully kind ofcajole some of the numbers out
of that WhatsApp group into that.
Ganan, we send you big love andhopes.
Thank you.
Can't wait to catch up withWarrior Woman this time next
year.
Maybe bring your mum, oh God,looking prepared for that one.
(22:02):
Thank you so much for joininghere.
Love you loads and we'll seeyou next year.
Thank you, subscribe on YouTube, apple, amazon Music, spotify
or wherever you get yourpodcasts.
Leave us a review or follow uson socials.
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(22:22):
Power on YouTube.
Hello, hello and welcome to the we Are Power
podcast.
If this is your first time here, the we Are Power podcast is
the podcast for you, your careerand your life.
We release an episode everysingle Monday with listeners in
over 60 countries worldwide,where you'll hear personal life
stories, top-notch industryadvice and key leadership
insight from amazing role models.
(00:21):
As we Are Power is the umbrellabrand to Northern Power Women
Awards, which celebrateshundreds of female role models
and advocates every year.
This is where you can hearstories from all of our awards
alumni and stay up to date witheverything.
Mpw Awards and we Are PowerNever imitated, never replicated
(00:42):
singularly wonderful,everybody's wonder girl.
Today I am joined by theawesome Ganan Adamu broadcaster,
entrepreneur, superhero, legend, godparent, but we'll come back
to that.
Welcome.
Thank you, samu.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
How are you?
You know it's a funny question,matt.
I feel good, I feel fantasticmentally.
I'm just waiting for the bodyto catch up.
So it's a funny one becausewhen I got diagnosed with cancer
, with breast cancer um, Ididn't tell no one for two
months.
So when I was out and about anddoing what I was doing and
(01:21):
people say, how are you?
It just felt that question justfelt so deep because when I was
answering it it felt like I waslying, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm
good, but then I'll just be like, oh god, you know, because I'm
not, I was still waiting formore tests to come up and, you
know, more biopsies.
So it was just a really crazytime in my life.
But now I just feel like aweight's being lifted.
(01:43):
I feel so good, um, I feel good, I look good and I've got a
little bit more energy as well.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
So why?
What was the decision about nottelling everyone?
Keeping it uh to yourself?
I think, because you have andthis is just to say you have,
you don't know this woman rightfollow on social, but you have
such a big community and a bigpresence, not just in the city
of Liverpool but beyond global.
Yeah, oh god, of course shouldhave said that.
(02:13):
Should I do the intro again?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
global legend you know what it was, I think I.
Just when I first found outthey said you know, you've got
breast cancer but you still needto have more biopsies.
And at that time I just didn'tfeel that I could tell anyone
because I wasn't ready for thequestions, because I was waiting
for the questions and for theanswers.
(02:35):
So the only person I told wasmy mum, and I remember, um, I
had my biopsy and then I had togo back and the doctor said to
me, you know, it's breast cancer.
And she told me what type ofbreast cancer it was.
And then she said, um, and shesaid you seem so calm and I said
, well, I just don't.
(02:56):
You know, I already knew and mybody told me something wasn't
right anyway.
So I kind of knew what she wasgoing to say.
But also I think it was a bitof shock because, even though
you know, it's like hearing it,it's a totally different ball
game.
And then I remember I was socalm until they took me into
(03:16):
another room, so the nurse tookme to explain everything to me
and I just remember saying howam I going to tell my son?
And that's when I broke down,so I wasn't bothered by anyone
else.
It was the case of how do Itell my son, because he am I
going to tell my son, and that'swhen I broke down, so I wasn't
bothered by anyone else.
It was a case of how do I tellmy son, because he's such he's
my little friend, like he's mybest mate, you know, and he's
such a deep thinker as well, soI just didn't want to break it
to him.
So, yes, I just didn't feellike I wanted to share it at
(03:39):
that time.
But also even just saying theword cancer would make me choke
up.
And I just remember getting inthe car because he said to me um
, who have you come with?
And I said no one.
And like, okay, and are youdriving?
And I said yeah, and literallyI remember driving driving home.
I had the best Spotify playlist.
I was listening to gospel R&B,I was listening to it.
(04:02):
But that journey probably tookme 20 minutes, but it felt like
an hour because I was justoverthinking, everything
overthinking.
And then I got home and all thefamily was in the house as well
.
So I was like, are you kiddingme?
So I had to kind of containmyself and then wait until the
kids had gone out and mybrothers had gone out and then I
said to my mum, um, I've gotcancer.
(04:24):
And then she was like it's okay.
And I was like I cried for abit and then I was like it is
okay and she went.
You know what?
She went, cancer came to thewrong person and I went yeah, it
did.
She's like you're a warrior.
And I was like, yes, I am.
You know, it's like, and thatwas it then.
So I did me cry and then it wasjust waiting for the other
biopsies and I did.
(04:44):
You know, I did it all.
I went to all my appointments.
For the first two biopsies Iwent by myself.
And I remember my second biopsy.
They had to give me ananesthetic and I was just, I
just felt this little prick andI just started crying and they
were like the ladies were sayingI'm so sorry, and I said, no,
it doesn't hurt.
(05:07):
I was like I just don't know whyit's happening to me.
I don't want to be here in thissituation, um and I.
But then I just thought it'sfine, I'm in an amazing country,
I'm in an amazing city thatactually knows what they're
doing, and I just felt so good.
So once I got all my testresults.
That's when I just shared itwith the family and my brothers
didn't know what to do withthemselves because I'm the only
girl as well and I'm, like the,the second mom of the house.
(05:30):
But, um, once I got that out theway, then I was able to kind of
jump, you know, do what I do,what I love doing best, which is
jump on on video and audio andjust tell everyone.
But I just wanted to.
The reason why I went on, um onthe socials and and told people
while I was in Marrakesh wasbecause, um, I felt I felt
(05:54):
cheated because I'd been tellingmy GP practice for like 18
months that you know, I thinksomething's not right and they
just weren't listening to me.
And I wanted to kind of be thatvoice for other women, and
especially women of colour, andsay if you genuinely, if you
know something's not right,don't stop, just keep on
persisting until you get thatone GP that listens to you.
(06:16):
So I was just buried on by byanger, really, um, and
frustration with, with thesystem and the misdiagnosis of
women of colour.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
It's through the roof , isn't it?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Oh, it's awful.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
But you spurred on.
How many did you say 10?
Multiple.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Oh God, I had so many women come to me saying you
know, you've encouraged me to goand get checked.
I even had a hug in Tesco, likeliterally, she'd come off the
till and she was like I saw yourvideo.
She went, can I give you a hug?
And she said you know, I founda lump and I've been scared to
go to my GP practice.
She went.
(06:53):
Well, seeing your video, I'mgoing and I just thought, if I
can, I can encourage as manywomen as possible to persist.
Then I've done my job, you know.
But to persist, then I've donemy job, you know.
But the journey is not over.
You know, women like us, wealways find another purpose.
We can't stop with new purposes, can we?
So for me, it was all rightthen.
I just need to keep peopleupdated, because I've never gone
(07:14):
through cancer before, you know, um, but also I wanted, I know
that the way my brain works isvery special, um, I'm very
logical, so I'm not an emotionalperson in that sense.
So I like to get my emotions outthe way.
And brain works is very special, um, and very logical, so I'm
not an emotional person in thatsense.
So I like to get my emotionsout the way and think all right,
then what's the next step?
What do we need to do?
So already I've got all theseideas, um, of how do we make the
(07:37):
system better for women andwomen of color, but also with um
, women from working classcommunities.
You know, one of the rants thatI had on my social was it is a
postcode lottery.
So it's not just about beingblack or brown or, you know,
middle East.
None of that it's.
It could be a postcode, youknow, and I shouldn't have to
pay for for extra for privatecare, just to be taken seriously
(08:01):
or just to be seen.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
And I just wanted to really push that message out.
And that's some people will say, that's really brave if you to
go out and make yourself openand vulnerable and educate, as
you're still learning yourself.
But one of the things I sawthis week was talking about, uh,
entrepreneur yeah as well asbroadcaster, global legend, all
those other things.
But you talked about theworries financially that
entrepreneurs particularly canhave and actually in work, if
(08:33):
you've not got critical lifecover or certain type of
healthcare, it's a vulnerableplace, isn't it to be in?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
You know what, simone ?
It's so scary and and I wasspared on to get my, to get life
insurance, because I was buyinga house and if I wouldn't have
done, if I wouldn't have donethat, I wouldn't be in this
situation where I'm notliterally I am stress free, you
know.
So everyone's like, oh my God,you look well because I'm not
worried about my finances andI'm not worried about my bills.
(09:01):
So I got life insurance withcritical illness cover as well
as salary protection or salarycover, and but because I was
working internationally backthen my insurers were like
you've got to go for like thetop end, because if anything
happens to you on one of yourtrips, your work trips, then you
just don't want your familyworrying about, you know,
(09:23):
bringing your body back ormedical, because I wasn't, I
wasn't in Europe, I was inAfrica or I was in Asia, so I
would have had to then getsupport from the British embassy
and all these things.
So they really, you know, scaredme to the point where I was
like all right, then whateveryou need to add on, put it on
there.
And it was only when a friendof mine, she, then said, um,
(09:45):
whatever you need, let me know,I'll, you know, I'll loan you
some money.
And then she said, have you gotlife insurance?
And I was like I actually doyou know, because I totally
forgot about it.
It's like you know mostsubscriptions you just keep on
paying.
Then one day you look and go,what's that 10 pounds for?
Or um, and literally I justcalled me um insurers and just
said, look, I've been diagnosedwith breast cancer and just want
(10:08):
to check if my insurance, myinsurance, covers it.
And they were like, yeah, itcovers it.
And they asked me a fewquestions and then they sent the
bulk of the paperwork to my, mynurse, my breast care nurse and
my doctor.
So they did the rest.
So I just didn't have to doanything.
Wow, no stress, no, nothing.
But when I've spoken to otherwomen, not everyone's had that
success story.
(10:28):
But also, if you're this isanother thing if you have
genetic and family-relatedbreast cancer, some insurance
will not cover you.
So mine is oestrogen-related.
So you've got to make sure thatif you're getting out insurance
, seeing what it covers you butalso doing your research as well
(10:48):
, um, I mean people can get incontact with me and ask me who
my insurers are.
I'm more more than happy toshare that.
But I remember from myconversation with me insurers to
my um, this, my breast cancernurse getting my paperwork.
The whole process took aboutfour weeks and I just got a
phone call while I was at theairport and they were saying, oh
(11:09):
, it's gone through and you'llget it in two, three days.
And when they told me about itI was like that's nice, more
holidays and and that travel hasbeen icy as your outlet.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
You're kind of right, this is going to be my space
now to go.
I'm going to go travel, yeah,so before not that you weren't
like Judith Chalmers, anyway,actually people like who's
You're kind of right, this isgoing to be my space now to go.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I'm going to go travel.
Not that you weren't likeJudith Chalmers anyway.
Actually, people are like who'sJudith Chalmers?
It's her.
Google it.
So yeah.
So when, the funny thing is,it's all happened by chance.
So, before my surgery, mycousin we'd already planned the
year before to go to marrakechand she was coming from brooklyn
, I was coming from liverpool,and I said so I don't think I'm
going to be able to go becausementally I just don't think I'm
(11:55):
fit enough to go.
While I'm trying to navigatethis new, this new life of mine,
and, um, I think I meditatedand I was like I'm, you know so
went to Marrakesh, had the besttime, like literally the best
time ever, stayed in the fourseasons, I was feeling quite
close.
(12:15):
And then when I got back, I hadmy surgery a week later, but it
put me in such a good space, youknow, good mental headspace, I
was ready for it.
And then, similar, similarthing my mate had booked to go
on a cruise and she said look,I've booked the cabin.
It'll cost me an extra 200pounds to add your name to it.
Um, let me know if you want tocome.
(12:36):
And again I was like you knowwhat?
Why not?
Because I was then waiting forthe results of my um, my surgery
, to know whether, whether ornot I need a chemotherapy,
radiotherapy.
So, yeah, I was off, came backon the Monday, tuesday, had me
appointment and got me you knowme, um my treatment, I'll say my
biopsy results from themastectomy.
(12:58):
And again, I'm waiting to startradiotherapy in December.
So I'm gonna go away again, youknow, gonna go away again.
I think, um, it's, it's anabsolute, it's an absolute
privilege.
Um, we take so much for grantedin terms of what we can and
can't do, especially as women.
We're so bothered about whateveryone else thinks oh, you're
(13:20):
going away again, or you've gotthis nice car, you've got nice
like it's.
We're always second guessingourselves and feeling like we're
not deserve.
We don't deserve all these nicethings.
And actually being faced withcancer, I think for me has
completely changed, changed mymindset, because now I'm just
like no, I am amazing, I do this, I work, I work so hard, you
(13:42):
know, so why can't I enjoymyself?
Um, but also I was having aconversation with someone else
who's gone through cancer andshe was saying it's interesting
when you're sitting there andthe doctor's telling you you
know, it's a matter of life ordeath.
You know, if you don't get thistreatment you could die within
five years, if you, you know.
So literally thinking, allright, then for someone like me,
(14:05):
I've done everything right.
You know I don't drink, I don'tsmoke, you know.
And when I say don't drink, Istopped drinking a year ago, but
now and again I'd have like aglass of red wine, but I wasn't
a big drinker and I go to thegym.
So I've done everything right.
You know I meditate.
So when you get that kind ofthat cancer diagnosis, you go.
(14:31):
You know what F?
It I'm, you go, you know whateff it I'm.
Just, you know.
But also I've been because I'vebeen forced to stop.
I'm not bothered about losingwork.
Does that make sense?
Because before it's like oh, ifI don't do it, then someone
else is gonna do it, then maybethey might forget about me, and
whereas now I'm like you knowwhat there's, so I I need to
practice what I preach.
There's room for everyone, yeah, you know, and there's so many
new up and coming talents outthere that deserve, deserve that
(14:53):
space.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
But Moving on and we send you all our love and we'll
be with you.
We know what the WhatsAppgroups are like for wrapping the
love around, so people can'tforget about you because, quite
frankly, you will always come to, because you are one of only
five people in the world thatare a godparent to a cruise ship
.
Yeah Right, so this year it wasQueen Anne.
(15:17):
Is it the Queen Anne the newCunard liner?
I didn't even know that tillthe big ceremony this year.
It was Queen Anne.
Is it the Queen Anne the newCunard liner?
There's always I didn't evenknow that till the big ceremony
this year but always have agodparent, and this year they
announced five legends ofLiverpool I know and being one
of those godparents you andSporty Spice.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Oh, it was amazing.
It was amazing.
So the way it worked out wasnormally they have a royal
family and obviously you knowLiverpool's history, um, and
they decided to bestow the cityof Liverpool as the the
guardians of, um, the Queenurahaywood, um, so we were all it
was.
Honestly, when I got that emailI thought it was a joke because
(16:11):
I was reading it.
And then I read it again.
Then I was like, can you giveme a call?
Because I thought there's noway that you're naming me one of
the godparents to this ship,because in my, in my head, I was
like there's so many amazingwomen in the city and, um, but
it was nice because we all hadour individual reasons, um, why
they picked us.
So it was just, yeah, it was,it was mental, but also a lot of
(16:35):
things were embargoed as well.
So I didn't know Mel C orKaterina Johnson or Laura I
didn't know any of them werepart of it.
So they said to me it was 10women.
Yeah, to kind of throw.
You know, throw a fit, what isit called?
I don't even know theterminology.
But they said look, there's 10women and you can't say anything
.
So then later on I was like whoelse is the?
(16:56):
And they said who else is the?
And he said we can't tell you.
So I didn't find out until itwas like 48 hours later.
Yeah, and I didn't realize howbig it was either.
So when it all happened I waslike, are you kidding me?
You know, I've never been sonervous in my life.
And then my mum turned off andshe was like, oh my god, like
this is crazy.
But the funny thing is my mum'squite spoilt now because she's
(17:18):
been to Buckingham Palace withme, where they loved her, nobody
was bothered about quite spoiltnow because she's been to
Buckingham Palace with me, wherethey loved her.
Nobody was bothered about me,they loved her because she wore
her beautiful Nigerian attire.
So everyone kept on takingpictures of her and then being a
godparent to the Queen Anne andthen seeing Andre Pacelli, and
it was just, it was absolutelyamazing.
So I always say a lot of theseaccolades, I number one.
(17:43):
It's not just about me, it'sabout what I represent and it's,
you know, the women of the city, and it's also, um, my heritage
as well.
Um, and then the hard work thatmy grandparents did in this
country, you know.
So I'm just a result of myfamily as well as how the city
has shaped me.
For me, it's definitely a caseof giving back to the city.
You know, I remember someone's.
(18:04):
I always, I always said I'm aNigerian Scouser.
Always.
And someone was like what doyou mean?
You're a Nigerian Scouser?
I was like why am I going tocall myself a British Nigerian?
It's being Scouse that'sactually made me who I am, you
know, and I love my accent, youknow, I've been here since I was
three, so, yeah, so being agodparent was just, I just
(18:25):
wanted to cry.
I did.
I wanted to cry because, again,it's that classic thing that we
do as women where weunderestimate our roles in the
city, in the country, you know.
And then I had to take stockand go.
Actually, gunnar gonna know,you've done a lot, you know, and
, like yourself, you're noteveryone sees the work that you
do.
And when I was beinginterviewed and I was saying
(18:48):
actually, no, I've done this,I've done that, then I was like
you know what you deserve, this,you do, you deserve this.
So, yeah, it was, um, it was asurreal moment.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Well, I think my final kind of question, which
must have been more surreal thananything, was some of those
turquoise carpet moments atEurovision.
So last year Eurovision wasprobably the most bonkers time
that I've ever known in thiscity.
It was for me and Rob living onthe waterfront.
We went to everything every day.
(19:20):
There was always something fourweeks of crazy, like Sophie
Ellis-Bexter playing a disco inJohn Lewis and Sam Ryder playing
on the top of some.
It was bogus.
Now please tell me you're stillin the WhatsApp groups for for
your vision?
Speaker 2 (19:32):
oh, we are.
And the funny thing is we, westill, like we know what's going
on politically as well.
So it's just, it's funny.
It is funny and, uh, you know,if I've ever heard of the
Eurovision blues like it wascrazy, because we're all on such
(19:52):
a high, like we were workinglike 14 nowadays, it was mad.
So once that all stopped, itwas like, oh my god, what do we
do?
What do we do with our lives?
What do we do next?
Because you could dress how youwanted to dress and nobody
judged you.
You know, you could.
I mean, it was just bonkers,absolutely bonkers.
I look back at videos of when wewere doing the podcast
(20:14):
Eurovision cast.
I'm just plugging that outthere.
It's still, it's still on there, it's still on the iPlayer.
Um, when I was doing Eurovisioncast, there's so many surreal
moments because I was with, youknow, mon's Zelima Love, who's
like the, it's like the Elvis ofum of Eurovision, and literally
it was like our banter wascrazy.
And you know I'm going to watchthe live performances and and
(20:37):
you realize, those momentsyou'll never get again, you know
.
So there's parts of me thatgoes even with everything I've
gone through with the cancer.
Actually I've had some amazingmoments that people could wish
for.
You know, like my son now I'mlike do I write a book now or
later?
Speaker 1 (20:54):
I reckon your son do write a book, right?
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Yeah, I guess Honestly but it is, it's just.
It's just, it's um.
Yeah, I've been so, so lucky,um.
Someone said to me stop sayinglucky, say blessed.
I've been so blessed, honestly,I mean, I'm not dying, just
saying that I'm not dying, it'sjust I'm.
I'm taking stock of everythingthat I've gone through, um, and
I have I've been so blessed withthe opportunities I've been
(21:17):
given.
I've definitely got about 50guardian angels looking out for
me and I'm, if I like, next yearit's going to be crazy, just
like you know, just like nextyear, because I've been
nominated for another award.
I can't tell you about that yet, but next year it's going to be
a big year for me and iWoman aswell.
(21:37):
So there's loads of stuff thatI've been doing.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
There's a million things we could talk about, but
you'll be back next year.
We can have an update.
Yeah, we can hopefully kind ofcajole some of the numbers out
of that WhatsApp group into that.
Ganan, we send you big love andhopes.
Thank you.
Can't wait to catch up withWarrior Woman this time next
year.
Maybe bring your mum, oh God,looking prepared for that one.
(22:02):
Thank you so much for joininghere.
Love you loads and we'll seeyou next year.
Thank you, subscribe on YouTube, apple, amazon Music, spotify
or wherever you get yourpodcasts.
Leave us a review or follow uson socials.
We are Power underscore net onInsta, tiktok and Twitter.
We are Power on LinkedIn,facebook and we are underscore
(22:22):
Power on YouTube.
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