..as Founder avows association’s readiness to incorporate prostate cancer awareness

The Founder of the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria, BRECAN, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, described adequate awareness creation about cancer disease as the entry point for survival.

She advocated the support of the government and the pharmaceutical companies towards awareness creation by providing logistics to non-governmental organisations that were committed to fighting the disease.

Mrs. Akeredolu spoke while addressing members of BRECAN, Ondo state chapter who were in her Ibadan residence to intimate her with the activities of the association for the 2024 World Cancer day observance.

The BRECAN Founder affirmed her commitment to remain relentless in the fight against cancer through awareness, regardless of the fact that her husband, the immediate Governor of Ondo State, died of prostate cancer.

Mrs. Akeredolu, who hinted that BRECAN has dedicated its over 25years of existence to champion campaign for early detection and presentation of breast cancer, declared readiness to incorporate prostate cancer awareness, noting that men had been discovered to endure pain rather than speaking up on time.

Thanking them for their commitment and dedication to take the sensitisation to schools and for the visit, she avowed her readiness to intensify efforts in the fight against breast, cervical and prostate cancer.

“And to think that Aketi died of prostate cancer, I can’t continue, I would rather intensify my efforts in the fight. It’s an amplification of my commitment in a fight against cancer, especially the three big Cs, and to reemphasize the need for BRECAN to take it more seriously to raise awareness about prostate cancer.

“We can’t get tired talking about breast and cervical cancer, meanwhile, prostate cancer has not been our focus because the men it affects seem not to bother. Women can scream, but men would always keep silent about their health challenges, thinking that the disclosure would portray them weak. There’s an urgent need to scream about prostate cancer given its alarming rising incidence among Nigerian men. So, we have three cancer burdens that we are taking upon ourselves and indeed, a labour of love.”she averred.

Speaking to the theme of this year’s world cancer observance “Close the care gap”, she opined that lack of awareness is one huge gap as she expressed dissatisfaction about the non-challant attitude of the government towards the fight, saying there’s no adequate awareness to curb late presentation.

‘I have said it umpteenth time that the only way we can understand the behaviour of cancer is having the right knowledge. To fight cancer begins with awareness. “

According to her, non-governmental organisations that prioritised awareness creation should be supported with logistics, noting that victims would be convinced to seek medical attention when they had the knowledge of the disease.

“Only NGOs are the ones running here and there raising awareness. The government needs to be serious about supporting non-governmental organisations. Why can’t the government have a budget line? Awareness of cancer is the entry point to even surviving it. If we increase the level of awareness of this disease in this society, we are now closing the gap. ” She noted.

Commenting on their awareness tours to secondary schools, she commended the strategy they adopted by applying pre-evaluation and post-evaluation exercise about cancer to pass the information to the students, saying, “you have empowered them with knowledge which is the most powerful empowerment you can give”.

The BRECAN Founder used the medium to urge parents to discountenance the misconceptions about cervical cancer vaccination, affirming that it posed no threat to girls but rather prevent them against cervical cancer.

She implored Nigerians to appreciate the role of science in making the world a better place to live, and urged individuals on the need to do the right thing at the right time, saying time is of essence in handling cancer.

Earlier, the Ondo State BRECAN Chairperson, Mrs. Chinyere Iyke-Nneke had informed her of the activities they engaged in to mark the year 2024 World Cancer day in Ondo.

According to her, members of the association were divided into groups who visited six secondary schools in Akure on Monday morning, simultaneously, to sensitise teachers and students.

She noted that their decision to visit the founder after the programme was to use the opportunity to keep her company and to reassure her of their commitment to the mission of BRECAN.

Leaders of each group therefore presented their reports of activities which included health talks by medical professionals amongst them, presentation of awareness kits, demonstration of breast self examination and discovery of a school girl with a lump on her breast who was handed over to an oncologist BRECANITE.

Every 4th of February is set aside by the Union International Cancer Control(UICC), to create awareness about cancer.