Radiation therapist Badjo Kouadio won the lottery — a few times. The first time was when she entered the Diversity Visa lottery (also known as the Green Card lottery) and came to the United States. The second time was when she became a radiation therapist and began a defining career that fulfilled her desire to help people. Who knows if there’s another winning “ticket” in her future? With Badjo’s track record, there just might be.
What’s your story?
I came to America 13 years ago, from Côte d'Ivoire. I worked for a French-speaking couple who encouraged me to go back to school, which had always been my plan. I was interested in physical therapy, but when I found out how long I would have to be in school, I started to explore other options.
A counselor at Montgomery College suggested radiation therapy. But the science was explained to me, and I thought about it and decided that was the way to go. You have to understand, where I come from, people believe you get cancer from witchcraft and then can’t be cured. My stepfather died of cancer and his sister was accused of giving it to him. Two of his daughters were diagnosed with cancer, too. I wanted to have a career that would help people like my family, who were diagnosed with cancer, so they could fight it and live.
While I was in the Radiation Therapy program at Howard University, my stepsister in France was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I went to visit her in May, 2019 and then I had to go back to France that following September for her funeral. I was so sad.
What gets you out of bed in the morning? What motivates you?
This question ties back to my first answer. I didn’t get a chance to take care of my sister when she was sick. So for me, every single patient is my sister. Through them I am taking care of her. I need to do that for and for the patients who come here — and for myself, too. I can’t get back that time with my sister, but doing this work gives me the time to do for others what I couldn’t do for her.
What is that one book that has influenced you the most?
The Bible is the book that has touched me most. That verse — “When I was hungry, you gave me food. When I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink and when I was sick, you visited me,” says everything to me. Whatever I am trying to do on Earth, comes from what this Book teaches me. I see Jesus in everyone and that is how I treat people. It all comes from my faith and what I believe in.
You and your work have made a difference for many patients. Is there one patient who made a difference for you?
The patients come for a short time and they all have such different stories. All of their stories are important to me. One patient does stand out. She was young; younger than me and had breast cancer. Her cancer had metastasized. One day, she started crying after her session. She was in so much pain and her doctor had told her there was no cure. She wouldn’t survive this cancer. I felt her pain in my heart. She was so full of life and love, and I will never forget her. She reminded me of my sister.
What is the most interesting thing we should know about you?
I believe in joy. I believe that no matter what happens to you in life, you need to find your joy. Even a glass of water can bring joy. I’ll take a drink and it’s so good that I just smile from the joy of this glass of water.
Sometimes I think that people think I’m crazy because I will laugh at the bad things. Life is so short and I don’t want to hold onto negative stuff so I am ready to forgive right now and let it go. I’ll be mad at my husband, but the next day, that’s gone.
When I was young, someone told me that my eyes tell everything about me. You see my eyes and you know what I'm feeling. I want people to see the love and the joy when they look into my eyes. I want them to know who I am by how I look at them.
