In Memory of Elizabeth Okagbare

Hello, we are Elizabeth's children and with heavy hearts, we are fundraising in honor of Elizabeth Okagbare.

Our mom, Elizabeth Okagbare, was a proud and loving mother of 5, a compassionate leader and a beloved friend to many. Often described as being a "bright light" to those that she crossed paths with. Elizabeth loved theology, camping, and fashion. Even through her fight with cancer, she was full of charisma and maintained her joyous demeanor.

Elizabeth passed on October 30th after a 15 month battle with a rare cancer, neuroendocrine carcinoma. In July 2022, after months of pleading with health care providers to convince them that something was wrong, she finally received imaging which revealed a tumor that spanned her eye-socket, sinuses, and the inside of her skull. Although the cancer is rare and often terminal, she was told that with the treatment plan created for her, the goal was to cure her. In 2022, she underwent 30 radiation treatments to her head and 7 cycles of chemotherapy, before being told that she was in remission.

At that time, Elizabeth was advised that there were some unchanged nodules in her lungs that were believed to be benign, and that she would get imaging again in 3 months. However, there was no availability for scans in March, so she was scheduled for imaging in May 2023. The scans showed that the cancer had returned and metastasized. Elizabeth viewed the results of the scans in the patient portal and was devastated, as she did not hear from her treatment team for 2 weeks. At that point, she was in extreme pain and admitted herself to the emergency room. She returned to treatment the next day, receiving a high-dose radiation, "radiosurgery" to her head, and began chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and human growth hormone to stimulate her immune system, which was failing.

Elizabeth endured this regimen for 3 months, before her treatment team pared her down to immunotherapy-only treatment to give her body a rest. It was in the following weeks that she began to complain of debilitating fatigue, shortness of breath, and increased pain. Then in October 2023, she reported her symptoms to a new provider, who was going to be supervising her immunotherapy treatments closer to home. This new oncologist pushed for immediate imaging and was shocked and dismayed by the results. As he described it, the cancer had "exploded", and was now in her lungs, brain, bone, lymph nodes, and had taken over her liver. He telephoned her (while she was on a ferry back to the Cape) to advise her that she only had "maybe a month" to live and that she would die of liver failure.

Our mother was devastated, once more, but not defeated, as she remained prayerful and faithful, as she has always been. She remained the bright light that she was known to be, spreading positivity and love to her family, friends, and often, strangers. In her final days, she listened to gospel music, provided encouragement to those around her, and continued to shine as her body failed her.

On October 30, 2023, at the age of 61, Elizabeth made her transition to heaven, leaving behind countless loved ones who have since communicated to us that they felt honored to have met her acquaintance, as her smile and positivity left an indelible mark in their hearts.

This fundraiser is to raise funds towards Elizabeth's funeral costs, burial costs, and to help with the moving expenses that her two teenage girls will incur, as they are being forced to move this month from their 3-bedroom to a 2-bedroom apartment. It is also to provide financial support to her children in covering her final months of utilities, rent, etc. which lapsed while she was unable to work, so that the girls are not left with this burden.

Elizabeth leaves behind 4 daughters, (Elukeoghene, Oshetisi, Oghenenyore, Jaita) and one son, (Mudiaga). She is dearly missed by her friends and family. Funeral arrangements will be shared via multiple outlets once they are finalized.