#SkinCancer : Nigerian Artiste (Banky W.) Gives Touching Testimony After Third Surgery.

Bankole Wellington aka Banky W.

A  Dermatologist (skin care specialist) once told me on live Television that the skin is the most important of all human organs and I quietly digested that information with a pinch of salt but after reading the very touching testimony of Bankole Wellington a.k.a. Banky W., a successful Nigerian R&B Artiste whose skin has been threatened by cancer 3 times, I'm now beginning to consider that the Consultant might have a point, depending on how you choose to see it.

A wise man once said this: "Scars. A sign that you had been hurt. A sign that you had been healed." Scroll through the pictures to see mine. I'm sharing these because they're proof of what God has brought me through. And because somewhere out there, I know there's someone who needs to hear this. For those who've been wondering why I've been away so long..I had my 3rd surgery on a rare strain of skin cancer tumours in my shoulder last month. The first 2 times were over 10 yrs ago, then it recently resurfaced. But this isn't a sad story as much as it is a reminder, and a testimony. A reminder that you should never take life for granted. You only get 1 shot. Some people went to sleep and never woke up. Many others have lost the battle to cancer and other illnesses. Many are still fighting. U never know when your time will be up so don't waste another minute. It's also a testimony about the goodness of God. I think I had to go through this again to remember how merciful God is to me; Lord knows I don't deserve it but He saves me time and again anyway. I keep saying I need to write a book. I really, really do. The past few weeks of recovery have been tough, but beautiful. I'm finally back on my feet, feeling stronger and ready to get back to life. I'm especially thankful to my Nurse Susu for loving me and being by my side every step of the way - I don't deserve U 😍😭, my parents & siblings, in-laws & close friends for the love, support and prayers, my Pastors - Pastor Tony Rapu & Pastor Del Balogun of TPH, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya and Pastor Bayo Adeyokunnu - for constantly praying with and for me. And of course to Dr Wodajo & Dr Miralli & their teams - who God used to operate on me successfully. I'm thankful for life, provision and healing. Pls dont feel bad, or msg me with any worries.. God has done it, just thank Him for me. The pain will eventually go away but the scar won't - and I'm glad because it's a reminder to me of what God has done, and evidence to you of what He CAN do. I'm not stronger or better than anyone. I'm just a living testimony that no matter what u face, U can survive & thrive, by God's grace. #TheBankStatements #nowplaying #BlessingMe

A post shared by Banky W. (@bankywellington) on Nov 9, 2017 at 4:24am PST

The skin is made up of various layers of tough cells that can withstand varying degrees of assaults but at some point, instead of breaking down from repeated exposure to unfavourable conditions/substances, uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells (that can either invade tissue locally or spread to cause serious problems in other parts of the body) may be the case. In other words, cancer can occur. Whether it's a cancer that affects the: basal cells,squamous cells or melanin(skin pigment)  producing cells, no cancer is good news. So I advice you save your energy from bothering about the types,if you are not a Clinician and focus on prevention.

As with other cancers,the cause of skin cancer is unknown. Documented literature however reveal that exposure to (ultraviolet) rays mainly from the sun, might be the most implicated risk factor. Prevention is thus mainly geared towards administration of sun screen lotions and wearing of protective clothing,especially amongst those identified to be at risk. Other risk factors include: exposure to nuclear radiation during war and certain chemicals at the work place or in certain creams or even soaps-Find exhaustive list in References below.
Treatment options will depend on the type of skin cancer and extent of spread/severity. After assessment by a Specialist, surgical removal of affected skin tissue might be the best option. Otherwise, administration of certain anti-cancer (chemotherapy) medications or radiation therapy might be better choices. Whatever the case maybe, prevention if possible, is the best cure and early detection can save lives. People die from skin cancer,so every survival story is worth giving thanks for and most importantly,learning from. God bless you Banky W. You are more than a survivor. For more information about the skin and related cancers, consult references below.

REFERENCES:
* WHO|Skin Cancers

* Skin Cancer Foundation|What Is Skin Cancer?

* https://www.instagram.com/bankywellington/