“This condition has turned my life upside down, and I am faced with the daunting task of raising funds for a surgery that could potentially save my life. I am reaching out to anyone who can offer support — individuals or organisations.
I know this is a lot to ask, but I am not just fighting for my life — I am fighting for the chance to keep pursuing my passion for journalism and to make a difference in my community. With the right care and support, I believe I can overcome this and return stronger.”
This is the second time The Ghanaian Times is emphasising this heart-wrenching plea from Agnes Owusu, a brave, passionate young journalist currently interning with our newspaper and a Level 400 student at the University of Media, Arts and Communication.
Our decision to highlight Agnes’ plea once again is not only a fiduciary duty but a humanitarian gesture aimed at offering a fighting chance to a young intern who is full of promise and purpose, and who possesses the tenacity to contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of her motherland.
Agnes now faces the greatest challenge of her life as she battles a brain tumour.
Doctors at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital have warned that the tumour could claim her life in the coming weeks unless urgent surgery is performed to remove it.
The budding and talented journalist was diagnosed after experiencing severe headaches, vomiting, blurred vision, neck heaviness, and swelling. Her condition quickly deteriorated, prompting an emergency procedure to relieve the pressure on her brain.
A cerebrospinal fluid diversion (shunting) was performed as a temporary life-saving measure, but this is only a stopgap. What Agnes urgently needs now is a microsurgical removal of the tumour — a delicate procedure that requires precision equipment and expensive disposable accessories.
The cost of it which far exceeds GH¢160,000 and beyond what her family can afford.
According to her neurosurgeon, without timely intervention, the tumour will continue to grow, leading to seizures, paralysis, or even coma. Time is not on her side.
For us at The Ghanaian Times, the warnings from her medical team are deeply frightening, and we plead with Ghanaians to show empathy by helping us raise the amount needed to support Agnes through this critical time in her life.
Agnes is more than a patient — she is a voice of the future. A young woman with a burning desire to tell stories that matter, uplift her community, and serve as a changemaker through journalism.
We are once again appealing to all individuals, corporate bodies, civil society groups, and kind-hearted Ghanaians to come together and support this cause.
This personal tragedy also reflects a broader national crisis, as the country grapples with a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, hypertension, and brain tumours.
These conditions are expensive to treat and expose significant gaps in our health financing system. As Ghana shifts from a predominance of communicable to non-communicable diseases, it is essential that we re-examine our healthcare priorities.
The 2005 World Health Assembly called for sustainable health financing and universal coverage. Ghana must act swiftly to protect its citizens from financial ruin during medical crises.
While we acknowledge and commend state interventions such as MahamaCares as steps in the right direction, for Agnes, help cannot wait.