FORMER: The former First Lady Monica Geingos. Photo File
FORMER: The former First Lady Monica Geingos. Photo File

Geingos returns to work, takes fight to cancer

Nikanor Nangolo
Former first lady Monica Geingos has announced that as she eases back into advocacy work, she plans to shift focus towards cancer prevention and care in general while continuing previous commitments.

A recent statement issued by Geingos, who recently experienced the loss of her husband, former president Hage Geingob, emphasised the impact of grief and the need for time to process such a significant loss.

“Grief has no timeline and shapes a person's thoughts and reactions in a significant manner. I have accepted this. In trying to get back to some form of normal routine, I have realised that I am not sure what normal means. For now, it will mean focusing on finalising outstanding advocacy commitments, managing the administrative transition to the former first lady, scaling up the youth development work of the One Economy Foundation and the various non-profit organisations I serve on, which focus on women's political leadership, gender-based violence, and sexual and reproductive health,” she said.

Considering future work

She said although she resumed work on 6 May, her commitments will remain limited to afford her time to process what life “without my best friend and husband Hage, a significant influence in my life, looks and feels like."

She added: "I know that his loss has meaningfully impacted so many people's lives.”

As someone who has been personally affected by the loss of a loved one to cancer, Geingos said that she’s considering expanding her previous focus on women's reproductive cancers to cancer prevention and care in general.

"Losing a loved life partner is extraordinarily painful on its own. Losing a loved one to a cancer as brutal as pancreatic cancer is unimaginably sore. Hage was torn away from us on 4 February 2024, and it feels like things will never be the same. This speaks to his larger-than-life personality and his impact on so many lives. The outpouring of love and messages from all over the world bore testament to Hage's influence and mirrors his emotional generosity,” Geingos stated.

She added that she and her family were deeply moved by the manner in which he was mourned and the kindness shown to the family.

“It is important to remember that Hage left in the same manner he lived, on his terms. It is now up to us to follow his guidance and forge ahead in the best way we know how. Thank you for walking this difficult journey with my family and I. May Hage's memory live in our hearts forever. God bless him and all of us,” Geingos added.

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-07

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