Mensah Omolola, a Nigerian social media user and breast cancer patient widely known on X (formerly Twitter) as Aunty Esther, has died after a prolonged battle with the disease, reigniting public debate over faith, medical ethics and public fundraising.
News of her death emerged late Saturday after prominent X user Auntymuse (@AUNTYMUSE_) confirmed the development while reacting to an earlier post announcing her passing. “May her soul rest in peace,” Auntymuse wrote, prompting an outpouring of grief from Nigerians who had closely followed Aunty Esther’s medical journey online.
The death was also acknowledged by @Wizarab10, the social media fundraiser who coordinated donations for her treatment. “It is well. Peaceful rest to her,” he wrote.
Aunty Esther’s case had drawn national attention earlier this month after appeals for financial support for her cancer treatment circulated widely on social media. Within days, Nigerians donated more than ₦30 million.
As of December 1, 2025, the fundraising coordinator disclosed that ₦30.7 million had been raised, with a recorded balance of ₦30,776,252.
The controversy surrounding her treatment began when Aunty Esther declined a blood transfusion recommended by her doctors, citing her religious beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness.
In multiple posts on X, she explained that medical tests showed the cancer was confined to her breast and armpit, adding that her major organs were unaffected.
According to her account, doctors advised that her blood levels needed to be improved before chemotherapy could commence.
She said her family opted for injections and nutritional support instead of transfusion, with chemotherapy planned for a later stage.
Subsequently, @Wizarab10 revealed that Aunty Esther’s church had warned her of possible disciplinary measures, including disfellowship, should she accept a blood transfusion. He further disclosed that doctors had presented two treatment options: one involving transfusion-supported procedures that were quicker and less costly, and another that avoided transfusion but would take longer and require significantly more funding.
Aunty Esther chose the latter option in line with her religious convictions.
Her decision sparked intense reactions online, with some Nigerians questioning the ethics of raising public funds while declining a medically recommended, potentially life-saving procedure. Reality television personality Natacha Akide, popularly known as Tacha, described the situation as “pure madness” in a post on X.
Despite the criticism, the fundraising coordinator maintained that all donations were used strictly for Aunty Esther’s treatment and welfare, providing periodic breakdowns of expenses to donors.
Aunty Esther’s death has once again brought to the fore complex questions about personal faith, medical autonomy and collective responsibility in cases involving public fundraising for healthcare.
