New York-based medicine student Ogoke launches pandemic fight on social media

NEW YORK (USA) - Ideally Sarah Ogoke would be in a training camp somewhere across the world with Nigeria preparing for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. However, in the blink of an eye, everything has changed drastically and the world is on its knees fighting a pandemic. 

The effects of COVID-19 have been experienced by everyone world over but New York is the most affected city in the world with a total of 19,415 deaths - worse than Wuhan where the pandemic originated in December 2019. 

"A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STILL IN DENIAL OR DO NOT KNOW HOW TO KEEP SAFE SO I TRY TO EDUCATE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THROUGH MY PERSONAL AND SPORTS MEDICAL HANDLES."- Ogoke

As a graduate student at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, Ogoke is hands on providing an insight on how people can stay safe indoors by paying special attention to cleanliness, new hobbies and reaching out to family and friends. 

Her social media handles are buzzing with all this information day in, day out where she emphasizes the importance of remaining positive amidst this period when some people get depressed and think of giving up. 

She told FIBA.basketball that, "A lot of people are still in denial or do not know how to keep safe so I try to educate on social media through my personal and sports medical handles."

Raised by a mother who worked as a full-time nurse, the soft-spoken Ogoke is no stranger to medicine and the sciences.

"I was always curious about the human body. My father is an anesthesiologist so medicine runs in my family and as a D1 athlete, I majored in Biology for my undergraduate studies."

"My father is on the front lines as an anesthesiologist and intubates COVID-19 patients on a daily. I am watching as a lot of my professors and classmates struggle with deaths and illnesses due to the virus. I am managing just like most other people just staying indoors."

Sarah Ogoke's father is on the frontline fighting COVID-19

Ogoke has had to juggle studying medicine and playing professional basketball in Portugal and Nigeria and has managed to win two FIBA Women's AfroBasket titles with D'Tigress as well as the FIBA Africa Women's Champions Cup 2019 in Cairo, Egypt with Ferroviario de Maputo while putting up an incredible individual and team performance. 

"During my third year as a pro, I made up my mind that I would apply. While in Portugal and Nigeria, I carried my Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) books with me. My teammates would wonder how in the world I was studying in between practices."

After we won the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017 title in Mali, I had to write an exam and the Nigeria Basketball Federation Board Member Col Sam Ahmedu changed my ticket. I flew straight from Bamako to Johannesburg and then Cape Town for the exam and I passed."

Ogoke was central to Nigeria's AfroBasket title in 2017 in Mali

"I continued playing a few more years because the application process is long between studying for the MCAT and putting your application together. Once I got in, I was happy but super nervous wondering how it would work and not sure if I could handle it."

"So I called my friend - an Olympian and Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine and Nigeria's Seun Adigun who was in school when she qualified and eventually went to the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics."

"She told me, "Just because you are in school does not mean that your professional career has to end. You have been doing it since college as a D1 athlete and it is going to be hard but nothing good comes easy and you have an opportunity to be the first Podiatrist to also have the title of being an Olympian. Stay focused. Keep an eye on the prize and surround yourself with good people." 

"A few months later, I won my second title with Nigeria in Senegal and days before my white coat medical school matriculation ceremony. Less than a month after that between balancing  busy academic and training schedule and learning the city of New York where I now live, I was honored to have my jersey retired in my Hall Of Fame induction ceremony at my Alma Mater Kennesaw State University." 

Sarah Ogoke and her Dad

Qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Belgrade, Serbia in February this year has given Ogoke more reason to continue working hard and giving everything she has on the table. 

The 29-year old is making lemonade from the lemons presented by the universe at such a difficult time - a perfect attitude that everyone needs to make it through. 

As a professional player, Ogoke like all her colleagues, misses playing basketball. She misses training with her mates, doing group drills, laughing in dressing rooms and playing competitively and now with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics postponed to next summer, she will have to adjust to the reality. 

She pointed out that, "Overall in retrospect the postponement of the Olympics is for the better and I am using it as an opportunity to free my mind and harness the full capabilities of my physical potential. It is hard to work out but I do go outside for runs. We are hopeful for an opportunity to train later on this year as things improve."

Just like the rest of the world, Ogoke is focused on staying safe and indoors so as to be in a position to return to the court to play the beautiful game of basketball when this pandemic is done and gone for good. 

FIBA