By: Ike Philip Abiagom
In a quiet but powerful intersection of grief, resilience, and innovation, Onyinyechukwu Gift Ositadinma—known simply as Gift—is redefining how cancer patients are supported in the United Kingdom.
Born in Delta State and raised in Abia State, Nigeria, Gift’s journey into digital health did not begin in a laboratory or a tech hub. It began with loss.
She watched cancer take two of the most important people in her life: her grandfather, Chief Paul Jones Okonkwo, who died of prostate cancer, and her grandmother, Lolo Margaret Okonkwo, who silently battled a hereditary illness for over a decade. For Gift, these were not just personal tragedies—they were moments that exposed the gaps in support, understanding, and access that many families face when dealing with serious illness. Rather than accept those gaps, she chose to close them.
Today, Gift is the founder of Cancer ComCompass United Kingdom , a fully functional, AI-powered digital health platform designed to guide cancer patients, survivors, and their families through every stage of the cancer journey—from diagnosis to recovery and beyond.
“I didn’t want anyone to feel as lost as we did,” she reflects through her work. “No one should have to navigate cancer alone.”
At the heart of the platform is Oyim, an AI-powered health companion. The name, drawn from her Delta heritage, means “my dear friend”—a deliberate choice that reflects her belief that technology in healthcare must feel human. Unlike many clinical tools, Oyim is designed to communicate in clear, compassionate language, offering users not just information, but reassurance.
Cancer Compass UK goes far beyond a chatbot. The platform integrates a wide range of support services, including a specialist and hospital finder, treatment navigation tools, mental health resources, financial guidance, and a moderated community forum where patients can connect with others who understand their experience. It also supports multiple languages, including Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa—an inclusion that speaks directly to underserved African and diaspora communities often overlooked in mainstream healthcare systems.
What makes Gift’s achievement even more remarkable is that Cancer Compass UK began as a university project.
While studying for her MSc in IT Project Management at Teesside University—where she graduated with distinction—Gift developed the concept as her final dissertation. But instead of leaving it on paper, she took the bold step of building it into a live, accessible product, independently and without a traditional technical background.
That decision has since set her apart as both a visionary and a builder.
Beyond her work in digital health, Gift’s track record of leadership stretches back several years. Between 2020 and 2022, she played a key role in the growth of a global financial education community, helping to expand its reach across Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Ghana, Cyprus, and the United States. As a Platinum Leader, she mentored individuals, led teams, and spoke at international events—developing the people-centered leadership style that now underpins her work in healthcare innovation.
She also contributed to humanitarian efforts, including an outreach initiative that provided 500 clean water kits to residents of Makoko, one of Lagos’ most underserved communities.
Now based in the United Kingdom, Gift continues to balance her professional career with her growing impact in digital health. She is PRINCE2 certified, a member of the Association for Project Management, and currently advancing her professional qualifications while expanding the reach of Cancer Compass UK.
Her work has not gone unnoticed. Gift was recently nominated for an outstanding innovation award by the Association of Community Newspaper Publishers of Nigeria (ACNPN), in recognition of her contributions to cancer support and her efforts to bridge healthcare gaps affecting Nigerian and diaspora communities.
But for all her achievements, it is her mission that remains most compelling.
Gift is building more than a platform—she is building a new model of care. One that is accessible, culturally aware, and rooted in empathy. One that recognises that behind every diagnosis is a human story.
From Delta State to the United Kingdom, her journey is a testament to what can happen when personal pain is transformed into purposeful innovation.
And for thousands of current and future cancer patients, that transformation may make all the difference.