Anglican Diocese embraces Breast Cancer awareness initiative of BRECAN, as Bishop lauds Founder

..it’s a template for other religious organisations- Founder

The Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria, BRECAN, founded by the wife of Ondo State Governor, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, takes its breast cancer awareness creation and free screening to Idoani community in Ose Local Government Area of the state.

At the event, held at the premises of the Holy Trinity Anglican Diocese, Idoani, on Tuesday, many women benefited from free clinical breast screening and enlightenment on how to be breast self aware.

Speaking at the event, the BRECAN Founder, commended the 2022 Synod’s committee of the Diocese, for inculcating breast cancer awareness into the activities of event.

Represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Administration, Mrs Lizzy Akpan, Mrs Akeredolu averred that the event would serve as a template for other religious organisations in creating breast cancer awareness among their congregations.

According to her, upon receiving the invitation about the programme she was delighted with the church’s decision to educate worshippers about the disease, and was optimistic that other religious leaders would emulate such, rather than convincing members that it’s a spiritual attack.

“With the large turnout of women who have come to check their breasts to know their status, it’s a good thing. And what the church has done through the synod this year by collaborating with the office of the First Lady and BRECAN is fantastic and we are going to use it as a template for other religious organisations.

“We are  calling on them to beacon on the office of the First Lady and BRECAN to come for something like this”.

The Bishop of the Idoani Anglican Diocese, Rt. Rev. Agara Adegoke, appreciated the First Lady for her quick response and readiness to bring breast cancer awareness to the church, as part of their Synod’s activities.

“Breast Cancer is something that has become very serious in our time and for the First Lady to have taken it upon herself to be involved in awareness creation, we just need to encourage her and thank God for the Vision, and I pray the Vision will remain forever”, he said.

Expressing delight about the turn-out of the people, the Bishop stressed the need for Christians to embrace clinical screening and treatment while also praying for healing, adding that God created herbs for the healing of men and had given medical practitioners, wisdom, to modify it for treatment of diseases.

The BRECAN State’s Chairperson, Mrs. Chniyere Nneke-Iyke, lauded the Founder for her unrelenting efforts at reducing breast cancer mortality rate through awareness, research and patients support programmes, for 25years.

“We have a lot of women clinically examined, we are yet to get the results from the medical team, in as much as we hope there’s no suspected case, but if there’s any it’s better now because early detection saves lives”. She said.

Dr. Olaniyi Johnson, who gave health talk at the event, educated the women about breast cancer, its prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

According to him, 2.3million women were diagnosed with the disease in 2020 while 685,000 deaths were recorded between then and now, globally.

Assuring of the possibility of surviving it, using the First Lady as an example, the medical practitioner hinted that report shows that by the end of 2020, victims who were diagnosed five years earlier, were still alive due to early detection and presentation for treatment.

He told them that the disease didn’t discriminate between the rich and the poor, hence, the reason they should be breast aware as he took them through  what doesn’t cause breast cancer, including its myths, saying it’s not a spiritual attack, as believed by many.

One of the beneficiaries of the screening exercise, Mrs Omotosho Felicia, narrated how she lost her sister to breast cancer disease and thanked Her Excellency for deeming it fit to bring the programme down to Idoani, to save her people.

Highlights of the programme include clinical screening of women, demonstration of Breast Self Examination(BSE),  through the popular sekem dance,and distribution of call cards and endorsement of awareness creation Ambassadors in the community.

In his remarks, one of the community leader, Chief Olapeju Oladele, thanked the BRECAN Founder, for prioritising the health of women through breast cancer awareness creation. He disclosed that three members of his family lost their lives to the disease and, therefore, charged participants to spread what they learned to their neighbours.

He assured that the church would continue to collaborate with the First lady in the area of healthcare delivery; while he used the opportunity to appeal for government’s intervention to resuscitate the community’s hospital which hadn’t been functioning properly, recently.

A member of the Team Survivor Nigeria, Mrs Jubril Arise, explained to participants how she survived the disease five years ago by detecting it early. She informed that the experience had changed her lifestyle and helped to stick to healthy diet with her family.

Mary Agidi
Special Assistant to the Governor on Media
(Office of the First Lady)
July 11, 2022