What you need to know about Leukemia, the disease that killed Gov Rotimi Akeredolu

The death of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has sent everyone into a state of shock.

The ailing governor died at the age of 67-year-old on Wednesday, December 27 after his long battle with Leukemia.

A source who spoke to SaharaReporters said the Governor was managed by State House doctors up to his death because they could not fly him abroad.

“Akeredolu is dead; he died in Lagos,” the source said. “They were looking for dialysis machines to be sent to his secret location in Lagos last week.”

While Nigerians mourn him, MyNigeria sheds more light on the disease that took his life

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood caused by a rise in the number of white blood cells in the body.

For sufferers, the white blood cells crowd out the red blood cells and platelets needed by the body to stay healthy.

White blood cells are potent infection fighters which grow and divide in an orderly way, as the body needs them. But in people with leukemia, the bone marrow produces an excessive amount of abnormal white blood cells, which don't function properly.

It is a cancer of blood-forming tissues that hinders the body’s ability to fight infections.

The types that exist include acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Treatment for leukemia can be complex depending on the type of leukemia and other factors.

However, some strategies and resources can help make treatment successful.

According to WebMD Cancer Center, its symptoms may include weakness or fatigue, bruising or bleeding easily, fever or chills, infections that are severe or keep coming back, and pain in your bones or joints.

Others may include headaches, vomiting, seizures, weight loss, night sweats, shortness of breath, and swollen lymph nodes or organs like the spleen.