Bishop Fortune – a rare beauty ticking to 70
Renowned multi-continental health and wellness expert, Julia Fortune, who turns 70 years old in March, is CEO of Total Body Wellness Foundation. She annually shuttles between Nigeria and America fighting the good fight against cancer with a combination of science, health, and religion.
A breast and colon cancer conqueror herself, she knows firsthand the debilitating physical and mental effects of this disease.
Julia says, “Cancer knows no boundaries, no continent, no social status, no skin tone, no physical conditioning, no mental status, nothing – it is an indiscriminate attacker and killer. It is a thief in the night!” Here, the cleric who currently occupies the office of a Bishop and runs a Foundation to tackle cancer and other chronic diseases globally, tells her story and the new life she has found to our Editor-in-Chief, GBOYEGA ADEOYE.
My driving force
To the glory of God I will be 70 on the 29th of March this year and I’m healthy and full of life. It is only to the glory of God that looking at me today, leaves no carry-over of what has transpired in the past; the past gave way for a new, fresh beginning and it is joy upon joy.
I was in the USA when cancer struck, and I was determined to survive it. If you want to survive then you do what is necessary for survival. I was living in a country that is medically advanced, so I felt that I was in a good place. Little did I know that it would take a combination of new school and old school that would allow me to defeat cancer.
I looked at my four children, one, a college graduate and the other three preparing for college. I needed to be alive for them. The mother in me drove me to be there for them, to see them succeed. I also believed that the last thing you are is the one thing people most remember, and I absolutely did not want that to be that I died of cancer. I was more than that, I tasted business success twice, I have four beautiful children, I refused to be remembered as a victim, I was bound to be remembered as a survivor, a conqueror.
From 2007 to 2012 and through a combination of orthodox, traditional, and spiritual remedies I was able to see all my children graduate from college, and all of them get married and gave me grandchildren.
THE BATTLE
“I researched and studied the various methods of medicine: orthodox, traditional, and spiritual. I decided to do a combination of all three. In orthodox medicine doctors rely on three methods of treatment – surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, or as I say, cut, burn, and destroy! My body was already being ravished by a disease so the thought of introducing powerful destructive chemicals and “nuclear” medicine seemed counterproductive to me, aside from the side effects I read about, which seemed worse than the disease they were supposed to be fighting. You win battles by defeating the enemy not your own forces.
Of all the orthodox treatments, surgery was the best option, so I opted for only that one type of orthodox treatment and had a mastectomy of my right breast. At the same time, I engaged in the traditional remedies of diet, physical exercise, positive mental stimulation, and spiritual therapy. I changed my diet to a 90% plant-based diet using organically grown fruits and vegetables. The best way to infuse the required nutrients into your body is by juicing and making smoothies, more nutrients and less bulk.
Don’t discount the physical effect of Yoga, thinking that there is a spiritual context to it that a Pastor may disagree with; you can enjoy the health benefits of Yoga without involving yourself with spiritual. Pilates is also a good form of exercise if you don’t want Yoga. I also embraced Oriental medicine. That played a big role in my battle because, with Chinese or Japanese medicine they go to the source. So, the integration of traditional and orthodox medicine helped me through my battle.
Cancer is the type of disease that isolates you, you feel alone, like you’re on an island even in a crowd. For that reason, the most important aspect of traditional medicine that I embraced is the spiritual therapy. Knowing that you’re not alone in the fight, that there is a higher power there with you, inside of you, and all around you gives you solace in a time of turmoil. I intensified my faith in Him, I made a pact with God that when I survived cancer, I will return to my native country, Nigeria, go into the communities and impact people. Mark 12: 30 says, ‘thou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength…’. I embraced this, wrapped myself in it, and focused on conquering this disease.
The spark that fired the zeal
It was when I became a breast cancer victim, and later conqueror, that I found the desire to establish a foundation. I went through a devastating situation that left me thinking that I was going to lose my life. In the process of going through that cancer experience, I wrote a book, Chronicles of a Cancer Survivor, and returned to school to earn a Master’s Degree in Health Care. This enabled me to take my mind off the cancer and health situation (negative thoughts) and redirect it towards education and survivorship (positive thoughts). A wise man once said where your mind goes, so goes your body; so if you’re constantly dwelling on the negative effects of cancer (or any disease), you’re preventing your body from the ability to heal itself. Upon the completion of my book, I decided to return to Nigeria to launch it and also form the Total Body Wellness Foundation. The focus of the Foundation is on community health. To be involved in the community then I need to be in that community, that is why I spend most of my time in Nigeria and visit America once or twice a year at that time. The Foundation conducts educational workshops as well as health testing. We use advanced devices to tests for cancer and other diseases, as well as the lungs, heart, digestive system, reproductive system, and full body testing. Depending on the results we will give you a healthy report or encourage you to see your doctor. I have spent years learning how to analyze the test results, giving our customers real confidence and partnering with a medical doctor and outfit on the Lagos Island, I have been able to help people with reproductive cancers, obesity, hypertension, and other chronic ailments. Early detection is the key to regaining your health, but a lot of people don’t go to the doctor or hospital until they feel something wrong. Annual checkups are important.
The aftermath
‘Since my initial ordeal, I’ve had to do multiple doctor checkups so the doctors could locate remaining cancer, but it has disappeared. Since 2009 they have asked ‘where’s the cancer?’, ‘where did it go?’ It has just disappeared; it hasn’t come back.” A most beautiful outcome is my renewed and intensified faith in God. When I called, He answered in a most powerful way. He drew me close to Him and I have never looked back. So powerful was His intervention that I glorified Him by having a special Thanksgiving service at my church and continue to give thanks daily. It is beautiful to see that, with the Lord and His people, you are truly never alone.
The cost
Well, the most expensive part was the orthodox medicine, the surgeries. I was self-employed and went through my insurance, my savings, everything. Thousands and thousands of dollars was spent on the various surgeries needed to conquer this disease. The traditional methods are inexpensive by comparison, but please use careful research when deciding on a successful treatment program.
About Bishop Julia Oyefunke Fortune
Bishop Julia was born in Ebute-Metta and raised in Surulere, Lagos. She attended prestigious-schools, including Lagos Anglican Girls School and the University of Ibadan where she obtained her first degree; Bachelors of Arts in Education and Theatre Arts before traveling to the United States to complete her Masters in Educational Technology from the California State University at San Jose. Later she completed a Masters in Health Care from the University of Maryland University College.
However, because of her prolific faith and community outreach, in 2015, Julia was ordained a Pastor by the: “The Overcomer’s Revival International Church (TORIC) and in 2019 Julia was ordained as a Revered by the same church in Lagos as well as being conferred with a D. Min Honorary Award by the West African College of Missionary Bishops (WACOMBS). Julia is happily married to an American who shares her values and drive.
She was raised by her maternal grandmother (now late) who instilled in her, traditional values, not often seen in today’s society. From her personal dress code to her public persona, Julia comports herself in a stylish yet classy atmosphere. Her message to young people is, “quit acting and dressing as if there is nothing to hide. Don’t expose yourself in public, especially to the opposite sex, keep a little mystery. It makes for an exciting romance and the person who really loves you will wait to see all your beauty after you’re married.”
She says, “I am a passionate person for whatever I do. I love serving and educating people, it makes me fulfilled. I am a blunt person, saying it the way it is, not what you want to hear to make you feel good. Life is a learning process and hearing the truth, even if it hurts, is part of the learning process.”
