How I battled kidney disease for 12 years— Ufuoma McDermott

“For a long time, people didn’t understand. When I say I cannot afford to put on weight, I just laugh. My initial diagnosis was Stage 3 kidney disease, but a delay in treatment worsened my condition. I thought I was going to die.”

Nollywood actress and producer Ufuoma McDermott has bravely shared her 12-year battle with kidney disease and how she triumphed over its most critical stage.

In an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Ufuoma detailed how she came to terms with her diagnosis. The former model revealed that her health challenges began shortly after losing her younger brother, Uvie Eseoghene Ejenobor, to kidney failure in 2017.

The 43-year-old actress shared that her brother’s death and her ‘chronic pain’ led her to overuse painkillers, ultimately worsening her condition to Stage 4 kidney disease.

Recounting her ordeal, she said, “For a long time, people didn’t understand. When I say I cannot afford to put on weight, I just laugh.

“My initial diagnosis was Stage 3 kidney disease, but a delay in treatment worsened my condition. I had pushed my body, and I was borderline stage 4 (kidney disease). Last year was a very trying time in my life where I thought I was going to die.”

Unaware of risk

Ufuoma shared how her doctor urged her to rest and reduce her workload, but she initially resisted, underestimating the urgency.

The Benin-born actress recalled, “I was negotiating with the doctor about my life. I need you to go home and rest,’ and I said, ‘What if I get home—I promise you (the doctor) I’ll sleep.’

“She insisted, ‘Ufuoma, I need you to sleep now. Suppose you can take tablets and just sleep. I need you to rest and your blood pressure to drop.’ They (the medicals) had to adjust my medication slightly.”

Despite her initial optimism, the Benin-born actress stated that she soon found herself facing the gravity of Stage 4—the final stage before kidney failure.

The former pageant titleholder said, “I couldn’t move for six months. I couldn’t work. I couldn’t gain any weight. I truly thought it was the end. During this period, I realised the effects of long-term drug abuse, as my condition was aggravated by excessive painkiller use.”

The actress, who gained prominence with the 2004 ‘The President Must Not Die’ role, noted that she has embraced a new perspective on life and prioritised self-care in her recovery stage.

Ufuoma said, “This life-altering journey has changed my life and how I approach my health but has also shaped how I manage my work-life balance.”

For the first time, the UNILAG alumni shared that she has “lived abroad with her family while continuing my acting and production work in Nigeria,” stating that she appreciated the privacy this affords her.

Pattern

In 2017, she paid tribute to her late brother, Uvie, who passed away (11 September 2017) due to kidney failure. In an Instagram post, she expressed her sorrow and acceptance of his passing.

She wrote, “No questions asked, Oh Lord. I don’t understand it, but I trust you. My picture-hating brother, Uvie Eseoghene Ejenobor, passed away on 9/11, 2017.

“He fought hard, but the pains were stronger. He gasped with every strength, thinking his kidneys would respond, but it pleased God to ease his suffering. Like a true son of a champ, he passed as he was strapped to the dialysis machine, committing his soul to his maker.”

The actress began her Nollywood journey in 2004 with ‘The President Must Not Die’ and quickly earned respect in the industry. Before acting, Ufuoma was a model and beauty queen, winning titles like Miss Ebony and Miss Earth Nigeria (2004). Her acting gained momentum with roles in the TV series ‘My Mum and I’ and ‘Hear Word!’, a theatre production on women’s issues.

Ufuoma trained at the New York Film Academy and the Hollywood Film Institute and debuted as a director with Christmas is Coming in 2017, followed by What Just Happened in 2018. Her work in film and TV earned her the Role Model Award from the African Youth Society in 2009 and the Best Outstanding Actress at the Delta Entertainment Awards in 2015.

In a 2018 interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Ufuoma explained how social media has changed acting, noting that fans now want to see more of actors’ personal lives. In a 2020 Punch interview, Ufuoma highlighted that happiness and understanding are vital in her ten-year marriage as she and her husband, Steven McDermott, strive to resolve misunderstandings and avoid major conflicts.

Ufuoma married Steven on 10 April 2010, after meeting him while studying in the UK, and they have two children. In 2014, she officially changed her name to Ufuoma McDermott in a Lagos high court. The actress celebrated her 14th wedding anniversary in April.