Mrs Deborah Mbara, the cancer patient at the centre of an alleged medical report forgery by relationship expert Blessing Okoro, has publicly disputed claims made by Blessing and revealed new details about their interaction.
In a video posted on her Instagram page, Mbara, a makeup artist and cancer survivor, said Blessing had approached her for help while seeking to verify her own cancer diagnosis. According to Mbara, the request came after Blessing began publicly soliciting donations by claiming she had stage 4 breast cancer.
Mbara explained that she met Blessing in Asaba last year when she worked as her makeup artist. Weeks later, after Blessing began sharing her health struggles online, Mbara’s friend contacted her to offer support. Mbara said she even arranged for a doctor to speak with Blessing, sharing her own cancer journey to encourage her.
“She asked me to send her the medical report from when I was diagnosed so she could compare it with the one her doctor gave her,” Mbara said. “I agreed, thinking I was helping someone in need. But then I saw my report online, altered and used to back up her claims while she collected donations.”
Mbara also refuted Blessing’s denial of knowing her, stating that Blessing had visited her family in Asaba the following Monday to apologise. She said her husband had asked Blessing to issue a public apology and explain how the alleged forgery occurred.
The controversy erupted after the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) called for Blessing’s arrest, accusing her of falsifying a cancer diagnosis report to solicit public funds. Blessing had previously shared what she claimed was a medical report from Xinus Medical Diagnostics, signed by Dr O.A. Odigwe, to support her diagnosis.
Xinus Medical Diagnostics later denied issuing the report to Blessing, saying the original document was provided to Mbara in May 2025. The clinic accused Blessing of altering the document.
The case has sparked public outrage, with many questioning the ethics of using serious illnesses to solicit money online. Authorities are yet to confirm whether any formal charges have been filed.
