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By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
In a bid to join global efforts to raise awareness on breast cancer, Osisioma Age Grade, Oguta, Lagos chapter, has carried out a sensitisation walk in Festac, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, in Lagos State.
The group began its yearly breast cancer awareness campaign, with the theme “Recognise, Educate and Inspire as We Rise Together,” recently.
Every year, the group creates awareness on breast cancer but this year, focus was on the well-being of women, as research indicates that women are more vulnerable.
Vice-president and convener of the Lagos group, Mrs. Tina Ishiodu, said they were using the medium to drive greater awareness on breast cancer and to empower and support breast cancer patients in Nigeria.
Ishiodu explained that Osisioma Age Grade in Oguta was equally running the awareness campaign concurrently in the South-East, like the Lagos State chapter.
“As we are aware, October has been designated as the Cancer Awareness Month globally. We are making efforts to educate those concerned about the disease, including early identification, signs and symptoms associated with breast cancer.
“The Osisioma Age Grade, Oguta, has embarked on several humanitarian deeds in the past and decided to render this service to humanity due to the recent report of the incident cases affecting women.”
Ishiodu stated that the group organised a breast cancer awareness session, apart from the walk they had, so women could learn breast self-examination techniques taught by Emmanuel Olaleye.
She implored women to take advantage of the chance to get screened because early detection saves lives: “Our top priority at Osisioma is healthy health.”
The registrar of the Department of Surgery, Dr. Emmanuel Olaleye, said breast cancer was often thought of as something that only affected women, but men can get it in rare cases. It grows in the small amount of breast tissue men have behind their nipples. It usually happens in men over 60, but can very occasionally affect younger men.
Olaleye educated participants at the event about breast cancer, and how one can make purposeful lifestyle choices to reduce the risk of developing the disease. He maintained that early detection and treatment were key to surviving breast cancer.
Emmanuel who stressed the need for increased awareness of the scourge of cancer said breast cancer is a serious disease that requires awareness to go out to the rural areas.
“There is a need to educate Nigerians on how cancer develops and how to curb it on time. Cancer can be cured if it is discovered and treated early. But people need to be aware of the disease and watch out for it.
“Breast cancer starts in the breast tissue. The treatment you need depends on the type of breast cancer you have as well as your general health. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiotherapy.
“Every year, breast cancer kills more than 500,000 women around the world. In resource-poor settings, a majority of women with breast cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease, resulting in low survival rates.
As the most prevalent type of cancer, breast cancer continues to rank as the fifth highest cause of cancer death worldwide,” he stated.
Olaleye disclosed that getting at least three times a week of exercise protects against cancer. He also mentioned that nursing women can prevent breast cancer by breastfeeding their children. “The most crucial thing is getting up to eight hours and breast screening.”
Speaking on cervical cancer, Oncologist/Gynaecologist from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Oluchi Ozonu who stated that the HPV virus that causes cervical cancer can be transmitted through sex urged parents to teach their young girls about sex education early in life.
Ozonu emphasised the need to raising the awareness on the prevention of cervical cancer. “Cervical cancer is the second commonest disease in women. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 40 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every day, while 26 women die from it daily. This is the only cancer that is completely preventable with vaccination.”
She also advised couples to work together when a spouse comes down with the disease as it is not the right time to apportion blame.
Also, the Lagos State Chairman of the group, Pastor Chuks Nduka, said that a number of their wives and daughters have died due to cancer. “The month of October is regarded as breast cancer awareness month, hence, the need for the sensitisation programme.”
He said: “The group was a social-cultural group from Imo State, that champions values that promote developmental issues within their community and host community. The programme happened simultaneously in our hometown and Lagos because there are possibilities of rescuing the patient if detected early.”
