Breast Cancer: Ondo Governor's Wife Launches N200m Treatment Fund

James Sowole in Akure

The wife of the Ondo State Governor, Mrs. Betty Anyanwun- Akeredolu, has launched the N200 million Crowd Funding to support women in the state with breast cancer at a news conference she addressed with other stakeholders.

The First Lady, who is the founder of Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN), noted that a number of women die in silence due to ignorance and lack of money to procure treatment.

The First Lady, who is a breast cancer survivor, said from experience, an average Nigerian woman cannot afford treatment of breast cancer.

She therefore called on people to contribute to the course of raising money to support Ondo State people with breast cancer.

"Every human being should rise against cancer because when you save a woman suffering from cancer, you save a nation," she said.

Speaking at conference, a Consultant Surgeon with the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Dr. Katung Aba, said the cost of treating breast cancer is enormous.

Aba said due to the high cost of procuring treatment, over 90 per cent of patients do not complete their treatment but pretend they did.

The surgeon however, declared that cancer is not a death sentence saying there is treatment for cancer.

"We always have problems in treating cancer patients because many people do not have hope that they can be healed.

"Another problem we encounter is finances and social factor which make people to seek alternative treatment and sometimes go to churches for spiritual healing," he said.

Aba, who lamented that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) does not cover cancer treatment, advocated a governmental policy on cancer treatment.

The doctor, who highlighted various stages of breast cancer, said women should go to hospital immediately they noticed any strange sign on their breasts.

He said the chances of survival is higher when cancer case is reported early.

Aba therefore urged people to contribute generously to the fund put in place by Mrs. Akeredolu in her efforts to help cancer patients