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Around the world, mothers carry the heartbeat of families, communities, and nations. From raising children to leading change, their contributions shape the fabric of our societies. According to UN Women, women perform more than three times as much unpaid care and domestic work as men—a burden that intensifies in the face of poverty, illness, or limited support. Yet, they endure. They lead. They rise. This Mother’s Day, we celebrate not just the love of mothers—but their strength, resilience, and sacrifice.
In Ghana, many mothers wake up before dawn, care for their families, and still find time to pour into others. One of them is Lilian Agbeko. At 55, Lilian is a Home Economics teacher at Kwabenya Senior High School and a mother of two. But beyond the classroom, she’s waging a silent war—a battle against kidney disease. Twice a week—on Wednesdays and Sundays—she travels to the Renal Unit at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for dialysis. The procedure is exhausting and expensive, yet it hasn’t dimmed her passion to make a difference.
“I have battled for this battle for over 26 years. I had a twin miscarriage in 1999, one of the babies came, but they had to manipulate and bring the other one out which resulted me in losing a lot of blood and my kidneys stopped working. So I was brought to Medical block here in Korle Bu, I was in the ward for two months. The following year, in the year 2000, I had another miscarriage at 38 weeks. The baby had to be removed surgically because it had died inside of me. I lager had my two children but realized I feet were swollen so I came to see the doctor again I was told the kidney problem was still there,” she sorrowfully narrated.
Even while hooked to a dialysis machine, Lilian is thinking of her students—how to make nutrition engaging, how to keep young girls confident in her class.
Globally, progress on women’s rights has been made—but challenges remain. In Ghana, 16.1% of women aged 20–24 were married before 18. The adolescent birth rate has dropped from 78.02 per 1,000 in 2018 to just 2 per 1,000 in 2021. These numbers show momentum, but achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality still requires urgent attention.
“Kidneys with mothers is a bit challenging. Currently as I speak, there is no special support for women with kidneys on dialysis either from government or the association. There is a need for support to rally thier support behind career women just like Lilian. Due to her sessions on Wednesdays and Sundays, she is unable to go and teach because by the time she finishes with her session, she would be worn out. So I think we should look at it holistically, especially mothers who having dialysis issues and their husbands should support as well,” he said.
But Lilian is not alone in this journey. Advocates say it’s time for the system to do more—because behind every resilient woman is a community that should rise with her. Healthcare advocate Dr. Samuel Frimpong from the Private Health Facilities Association of Ghana urges society to rally behind women like Lilian—who continue to inspire despite their challenges.
“The country is doing well, putting in place measures for all. Government is bringing a package on the NHIS which will take care of kidney patients, both women and men and with the establishment of Mahama cares, this is will take care of this chronic disease. The country as a whole is moving towards solving this problem generally under NHIS and Mahama cares. Society can do a lot to support kidney patients. So we can do more of prevention than curing. When it gets to the curing, society can contribute to support the woman in paying for the expensive treatment. Society can as well do away with mining activities, excessive drinking, taking meat at that cause this kidney issue,” he warned.
Lilian is calling on the President not to discontinue the free dialysis program—a lifeline for patients like her who cannot afford consistent treatment.
“I want to encourage mothers that to give up hope. Sometimes it’s money, sometimes it’s people—but as you hear other people’s stories, you know that all is not lost. I have gone through all the stress, but I am still hanging on and hoping that I will get better. The free dialysis is really helping us, we pray the President continues with it—even with those of us who work, it’s not easy for us. The cost of the treatment is very expensive—I have to spend almost GHC3000 every week,” she added
This Mother’s Day, may we see beyond the flowers and tributes—may we recognize the mothers waging battles we cannot see… and may we honor their mission to love, teach, heal, and serve. On the streets of Accra, Ghanaians share how impactful their mothers have been to them.
From the corridors of hospitals to the of classrooms, mothers like Lilian are not just surviving—they’re impacting. They’re not just fighting for themselves—they’re lifting others along the way.
Happy Mother’s Day to every woman. For Lilian Agbeko, and for millions of mothers around the world—this is not just a celebration. It’s a reminder: their fight is our responsibility.
By Andy Oppong Dankyi
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