Nollywood actress Cynthia Anijekwu has appealed to Nigerians for financial help as she battles cancer for the second time, with the disease now spreading to her bones.
In an emotional video circulating on social media on Tuesday, the actress said her condition has become too expensive for her family to manage on its own. Anijekwu said she was first diagnosed with cancer in 2023, undergoing surgery and chemotherapy at the time in hopes of stopping the disease, only for it to return later.
She said recent medical tests revealed the cancer has now spread to her bones, prompting doctors to recommend radiation therapy alongside another surgery. Her treatment now costs approximately ₦600,000 monthly, a financial burden she described as overwhelming. “I need to live. I need to survive. I’m asking Nigerians to please help me. Anyone that can help, please, I need help,” she pleaded.
Anijekwu also disclosed that the cancer has affected both breasts and caused swelling in her hands, details that point to how far the disease has progressed since her initial diagnosis. Her appeal, delivered directly to camera rather than through an intermediary, carried the weight of someone describing her situation in real time rather than through a polished statement. “Your one naira, your two naira can add up to something reasonable for me to get the proper treatment for this cancer. I’m begging you, please help me,” she said.
Before her health crisis became public, Anijekwu had featured in a number of Nollywood productions, appearing in both English and Igbo-language films, work that had kept her a familiar, if not widely famous, face within the industry. Her situation echoes a recurring pattern in Nollywood, where actors without the financial cushion of the industry’s biggest stars have turned to public appeals when medical bills outpace what they or their families can absorb, often relying on the goodwill of fans and colleagues rather than institutional support systems.
Her appeal has since drawn widespread sympathy online, with many Nigerians calling for urgent support to help her continue treatment, and some circulating her video further in hopes of reaching people able to contribute toward her care.
