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In commemoration of World Cancer Day, Gloria’s Cancer Foundation has intensified its grassroots advocacy with a breast health education outreach for young female students and teachers at Kenuj Angels School, Jikwoyi, Abuja.
The event, held under the Foundation’s flagship initiative, “My Breast, My Pride,” focused on equipping adolescent girls and female educators with practical knowledge on breast self-examination (BSE) and early detection practices aimed at reducing breast cancer mortality in Nigeria.
Addressing a Growing Public Health Burden
Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women in Nigeria and continues to pose a major public health challenge. According to figures referenced in Nigeria’s National Cancer Control Plan, the country recorded over 127,000 new cancer cases and nearly 79,500 cancer-related deaths in 2022, with breast cancer accounting for a significant proportion of both incidence and mortality.
Health experts have consistently warned that a troubling percentage of breast cancer cases in Nigeria are diagnosed at advanced stages (Stage III and IV), largely due to limited awareness, inadequate screening access, cultural misconceptions, and financial barriers to care. Late presentation significantly reduces survival rates and increases treatment complexity and cost.
It is against this backdrop that Gloria’s Cancer Foundation is prioritizing early education, particularly among young women, as a long-term strategy to reverse the trend.
Early Education as Prevention Strategy
At the Kenuj Angels School session, facilitators conducted interactive demonstrations on how to perform regular breast self-examinations — a simple, cost-free practice that can help individuals detect unusual changes early and seek timely medical attention.
Participants were guided on:
- Understanding normal breast anatomy and changes during adolescence
- Identifying warning signs such as lumps, skin dimpling, nipple discharge, or persistent pain
- The correct technique and timing for conducting monthly self-examinations
- The importance of promptly reporting unusual findings to qualified health professionals
By targeting secondary school students alongside their teachers, the Foundation aims to create a ripple effect of knowledge within families and communities.
Founder Shares Personal Perspective
Speaking at the event, the Founder of Gloria’s Cancer Foundation, Ms. Gloria Chinyere Okuw, underscored the urgency of proactive education.
“The best time to educate women and girls on breast health was yesterday; the next best time is now. If I had the information I have now years ago, I would have been diagnosed earlier and probably avoided some of the complications I manage today.”
Drawing from her lived experience, she emphasized that awareness is not merely informational but potentially life-saving.
Okwu also called on civil society organizations, healthcare stakeholders, and development partners to expand cancer interventions beyond urban centers to rural and suburban communities where misinformation, stigma, and limited healthcare access contribute to delayed diagnosis.
“Women in underserved communities often suffer in silence,” she noted, urging collaborative action to close the knowledge and access gap.
A Broader Vision: “My Breast, My Pride”
The “My Breast, My Pride” project represents the Foundation’s holistic approach to breast cancer control. Beyond awareness campaigns, the initiative integrates:
- Breast health education and screening advocacy
- Psycho-social support for patients and families
- Patient navigation services to guide individuals through diagnosis and treatment pathways
- Patient-centered research to inform culturally relevant interventions
- By combining education with support systems, the Foundation seeks to reduce late-stage detection and improve quality of life outcomes for women living with breast cancer.
Community-Centered Intervention
Public health advocates increasingly acknowledge that sustainable cancer control requires community-driven engagement. Programs such as the outreach at Kenuj Angels School reflect a preventive model rooted in early exposure to accurate health information — empowering girls to take ownership of their health long before risk increases with age.
As World Cancer Day continues to spotlight global efforts to close the cancer care gap, Gloria’s Cancer Foundation’s intervention in Jikwoyi stands as a reminder that meaningful change often begins at the grassroots level — one classroom, one conversation, and one empowered young woman at a time.
For inquiries or partnership opportunities, Gloria’s Cancer Foundation can be reached via [email protected] or 09050712887.
