..wants involvement of Spiritual Leaders in cancer advocacy
The wife of Ondo State governor and Founder, Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria BRECAN, Arabinrin Betty-Anyanwu Akeredolu has restated the need for Nigerians to stop over-spiritualising health matters but seek medical attention as soon as possible.
The BRECAN Founder who noted sternly that she wasn’t against people’s spiritual beliefs, re-emphasised the need for Nigerians not to rule out medical attention while observing spiritual exercises.
Responding to lectures delivered at day two programme of the BRECAN Annual General Meeting in Akure, Ondo State capital, Mrs Akeredolu called for the involvement of Spiritual Leaders in cancer advocacy.
The Ondo First Lady, a Survivor herself who founded BRECAN 24years ago to create awareness about breast cancer for early detection, lamented that despite the level of advocacy campaign, she kept receiving cases of breast cancer that were in advanced stage.
She said: “Cancer is killing daily and only those who have victims around them would understand. BRECAN is already a Guru on advocacy and victims support but problems remain unabated, we need to find solution. We keep having low survival rates due to late presentation; people still believe it’s a spiritual attack despite the kind of exposure and level of information available.
“We’ve been on this since 1997, we need to devise a strategy to bring in men and women of God to this advocacy”.
She therefore advised BRECAN Volunteers to make friend with the Ministries of health and women Affairs who are primary stakeholders in the fight against cancer to enhance the advocacy campaign.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of BRECAN in Ondo, Dr. Toyin Ayimoro called for a change of attitude towards giving, by contributing to Crowd Funding initiative, noting that most victims decided to patronise religious centres for miracle healing due to lack of fund to access health care.
Commenting on how to provide support for victims of cancer in cases beyond BRECAN’s control, Dr. Teni Akeredolu suggested referral approach to Organisations that are into giving health grants, through networking.
Highlights of the event included lectures, SEKEM awareness dance, overview of 2020 activities by BRECAN’s Chairpersons in their respective States.
The AGM would be rounded up with election of new Executives, raffle draw, fundraising and crowd funding later in the day.
JATS Online News 