Mensha Omotola Esther, the grocery shopper popularly known as Aunty Esther, has died a few weeks after rejecting a blood transfusion as part of her breast cancer treatment.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TheNigerialawyer-WhatsApp-Channel1.jpg")
The shopper’s demise was announced on X by her caregiver, identified as Aunty Muse.
“May her soul rest in peace,” she wrote.
Aunty Esther rose to prominence in March 2023 after videos of her grocery shopping business went viral on X. She earned widespread admiration for her resilience and cheerful disposition.
Her story, however, took a sad turn when she disclosed that she had been diagnosed with cancer in her breast and armpit. The revelation drew massive public sympathy, with Nigerians reportedly donating over ₦30 million to support her treatment.
Esther was subsequently taken to the Lakeshore Cancer Centre in Lagos.
On December 5, she sparked public debate after announcing that she would not commence chemotherapy due to her religious beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness.
Although doctors reportedly advised that chemotherapy should begin immediately, she was said to have declined the blood transfusion required to optimise her blood count before treatment.
Medical research shows that chemotherapy can reduce red blood cell levels, necessitating blood transfusions to treat anaemia and maintain adequate oxygen delivery in the body.
Esther’s death has since reignited public debate around faith-based medical decisions and what some have described as religious extremism.
Some social media users argued that she may have died regardless due to the advanced stage of her cancer, while others attributed her death to the refusal of medical intervention on religious grounds.
“Aunty Esther has passed on. Now the JW can rest. They take solace in the fact that since she resisted the temptation to take blood, she is assured of eternal life and bliss in heaven. What is the difference between this belief and the 72 virgins narrative? Go well, Aunty Esther,” a user wrote.
Another user commented, “Cancer is what killed her, because even if she had accepted the transfusions, she could still have died. Nobody wants to die. I’m sure she did her best to survive. May God comfort the family she left behind.”
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