Former Super Falcons goalkeeper Bidemi Aluko-Olaseni has died after years of battling breast cancer.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced her death in a post on X on Saturday.
“We are sad to hear of the passing of former Super Falcons goalkeeper, Bidemi Aluko-Olaseni after an eight-year battle with cancer. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. May her gentle soul rest in peace,” the NFF wrote in the message which it also posted on Instagram on Sunday morning.
Aluko-Olasseni was first diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2017 while playing for Rivers Angels. She was given the all-clear a year later after undergoing treatment and a mastectomy.
The disease, however, returned in January 2019.
Speaking in a 2019 interview with PUNCH, Aluko-Olaseni said “Recently, I was feeling so bad and unhealthy. I was feeling severe pains all over my body. I went to my doctor to complain and he said I should go for a test.
“The result came out 90 per cent tumour cells, which means the type of breast cancer I have is aggressive and needs urgent attention. Since then, I started undergoing a target therapy.
“The doctor told me I need drugs and each costs about N470,000 per dose. I am expected to take 10. I already did the operation since 2017 but don’t have such money (for the drugs) now.”
Her treatment was further hampered in 2020 by the outbreak of the coronavirus.
According to her, the hospital in Ibadan where she was receiving treatment told patients with other conditions to stay away.
“I couldn’t go to the clinic because of my health status – we were told that people with existing health issues should stay out of the clinic.
“They are attending to people whose cases they deem as critical,” Aluko-Olaseni told BBC Sport Africa.
Her husband, who had been a financial support, also became unemployed due to the coronavirus impact on jobs in the country.
Aluko-Olaseni was included in a number of full Nigeria squads but was only capped at Under-20 level
