A story of Hope- breast cancer awareness

I want to thank the team who gave me an awesome makeover and photo shoot to round off the month of breast cancer awareness. The article and lovely photos were published on the exact 6th anniversary date of my mastectomy surgery. I have blogged about the experience already in my 'Joblogs' which can be found on this blog, but this year's commemoration was epic. I think you will agree with me when you see the stunning photos in the link to the article below.
Okay, I will include just one here.
In this photo I am so excited to show off one of my scarf designs 'The Iya Onigele'. The company Noji Art was born out of the joy I received from painting on canvas again, and then started putting my drawings on scarfs. It has been a deeply theraputic engagement, and centre stage in the healing process. 

Omolara Cookey
photographed by @anny_robert
Styling @moashystyling,
Make up @makupbykofo,

I really enjoyed the styling, the make up and photographing process, and I am so honoured to be able to share my story in support of breast cancer awareness. Please check your boobies ladies, regularly and often, and see a doctor if you notice anything untoward. I count myself extremely lucky to have survived, as my fear kept me from doing anything for five long years. This was because I had just recovered from the disability and near death experiences from the previously undiagnosed auto immune condition called Myasthenia Gravis. Thus, I count myself a double survivor, praise be to Jesus.

Finally, my immense and unmeasurable gratitude goes to God for choosing me to showcase His awesome power and for giving me this beautiful life to live. I cannot but also give unending thanks to my husband , my children, in fact all my family and friends who stood by me in wonderful ways.
Any survivors out there? I am sending you my heartfelt love and well wishes.
Please click on the link below for the full article, so well written by Moyosola Jolaolu at Flourish Africa.

http://flourishafrica.com/2017/10/31/meet-omolara-cookey-the-breast-cancer-survivor-who-wears-victory-on-her-neck/

Run for a cure 2014- another year, another reason for gratitude!

Team Lara

I just felt a sense of gratitude in my heart as I was looking for ways to let heaven take note of how much I appreciate the opportunity to remain in His service. Every year, as I mark one more year of survival, I have feelings that run deep, some of which I cannot articulate or identify. I do not usually bother too much with those feelings, and choose to identify and acknowledge all the great things that have happened.This year, all my arrangements were so last minute and I was not sure I would be able to pull it off. However, with such a wonderful team the day came off so well.

Team Lara logo and slogan

Owanari Duke through CSDON ( Child Survival & Development Organisation of Nigeria) is the promoter of this event, and I am thankful to her and all that she does to bring awareness for childhood, breast and cervical cancer.
As usual, it was a fun filled event, starting with warm up exercises. Team Lara did their best to follow all the instructions being loudly issued over giant loud speakers. Our approximations of what we were asked to do made us all crack up uncontrollably.










In the last two years, I have supported this event by speaking and sharing my experience with breast cancer with the audience, and I posted my notes from last year on this blog. This year, I was an actual participant in the walk! I did about half of the walk, and was very pleased with myself.
The day was more special because it was our son's birthday and he is the designer of our 'Team Lara! ' logo.

Team Lara was created and put together literally in two days. T- shirts were purchased and printing was completed at about seven thirty the evening before the event. Some deliveries were made to 'Team Lara!' participants as late as midnight. We met up bright and early, all sixteen of us and just enjoyed each other's company. Lots of joking and laughing all round, and whipping up heady camaraderie that put us in the perfect spirits to do the walk.









On the walk, we came accross a phrase stencilled on a wall that triggered my thoughts on what I was doing exactly three years ago at the precise time, we walked past the sign. I remember, I was sending our son a birthday greeting from my hospital bed, having had surgery the day before. This year, everything is indeed so different.

Please remember to do regular self examinations , yes, men as well! Seek professional treatment if you find anything irregular. On that note, I will sign off and leave you with  some photos from the day. Cant you just catch the fun?

     

Our logo designer and The birthday boy!