From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The coalition of cancer advocates in Nigeria, on Saturday, paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu(SAN), at his private residence in Ibadan, capital of Oyo State.
In a statement by the Vice President of the Nigerian Cancer Society(NCS), Dr Abidemi Omonisi, on Sunday and made available to Daily Sun, the Coalition comprising various bodies fighting against cancer in the country, had representatives of each of the groups on the condolence visit.
The Coalition include, The First Ladies Against Cancer(FLAC) represented by Maryam Muktar, the Director-General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) represented by the Director of Research(NICRAT); Prof. Sani Abubakar Malami, and the Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS) led by its President Dr Adamu Alhassan Umar.
Also in the delegation were, the Vice-President of the Nigerian Cancer Society(NCS); Dr Abidemi Omonisi and the Executive Director of End Cervical Cancer Nigeria Initiative (ECCNI); Dr Ishak Lawal.
Speaking, the NCS President, Dr Adamu Alhassan Umar, said the late Arakunran Rotimi Akeledolu, was one of the supporters of NCS and specifically thanked him for supporting the establishment of Ondo Cancer Registry which is a population based cancer Registry in Akure, and his unfulfilled vision to establish a comprehensive and state-of-the-art Cancer Centre in Ondo State.
Responding on behalf of the family members, the widow of Akeredolu, Her Excellency, Betty Anyanwu-Akeledolu thanked FLAC, NICRAT and NCS for the visit and promised to continue the various legacies of Akeredolu including his unalloyed commitment in supporting Cancer Advocacy, Registration, Research and Treatment in Nigeria.
The Coalition used the occasion of the visit to urge all Nigerian men above 45 years of age to go for Prostate Cancer Screening and encouraged Nigerians to embrace a culture of routine comprehensive medical check up at least once in a year including screening for common cancer.