Foundation takes breast cancer awareness to another level

Often, there are no outward signs of breast cancer that you can see or feel. If there are outward signs, the more common ones include a lump, an area of thickening, or a dimple in the breast. Less common signs include breast swelling and redness or an enlarged underarm lymph node.

But even if you have one or more of these signs, it still doesn’t mean you have breast cancer. Remember that most breast lumps turn out to be benign (not cancerous).

Still, it is extremely important that you see your doctor right away if you’re worried that you might have breast cancer. Having your doctor take a look will ease your worry, and if anything is found, you’ll be able to take care of it quickly.

By and large, October is the global month of breast cancer awareness, recognised officially by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the universal observation month for the Number One cancer that afflicts humanity.

In Nigeria, breast cancer afflicts 1-2 in every 25 women, with risks higher in women with family history and previous or concurrent medical history of ovarian cancer and breast cancer.

Despite this alarming piece of statistics, a large number of women in Nigeria are not aware of the risks they are exposed to, neither are they aware of how to safeguard their lives by learning simple self-breast examination techniques (recommended by the WHO), nor are they attending regular cancer screening sessions where the use of equipment such as breast ultrasound scan, mammography and histo-pathology can be used to detect breast cancer very early, and doctors are able to deal effectively with such lesions before it can kill.

Sadly, due to lack of awareness, poverty and general lack of availability of equipment and personnel, women (mothers, aunties, wives, sisters and daughters, not to mention friends, brethren in church/mosques, colleagues and neighbours) are being taken away from us on a daily basis by this scourge.

Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organisation registered by the CAC in Nigeria has been established to raise awareness about breast cancer, provide breast cancer screening, and provide financial support through subsidised and free diagnostic/treatment services to women beneficiaries across the several cancer screening centres set up across Lagos and at various cancer screening outreaches being delivered across several communities in Nigeria such as Abuja, Benin, Onitsha, Offa and Calabar.

According to Femi Olaleye, the founder and medical director of the Foundation, “A lot of women are given a diagnosis of breast cancer when they are least prepared emotionally and financially for it. The diagnosis can actually bring the woman and her family into a lot of financial difficulties. The commonly available treatment for breast cancer involves a disfiguring surgical removal of the affected breast and at times, both breasts.

“In addition, such women are required to undergo series of debilitating regime of chemotherapy drugs (aimed at killing the cancer cells in the system).”

Femi further added that “the majority of women undergoing chemotherapy suffer from the major side-effects namely loss of hair; discolouration of fingernails and darkening of the skin. The combination of all of these can be quite distressful and life-changing for these women and families.

“For those in relationships, this phase can actually be very trying and may lead to fractures and the end of such relationships. A number of women (and their children) actually get abandoned by their spouses who probably get overwhelmed by the myriads of problems and issues confronting them,” he said.

The Go-Pink campaign, according to Femi, will be used as platform to highlight the struggles of some of the survivors of breast cancer and celebrate their positive spirit that is helping them to overcome these challenges.

In his words, “The Foundation shall be honouring a few selected breast cancer survivors at the event and shower them with gifts and affection, a token form of our appreciation of their courage to share their stories in order to empower others,” he said.

The Go-Pink Benefit Concert/Dinner is designed to help raise awareness about cancer screening, early detection and treatments. The campaign shall extend throughout the month of October and the provision of FREE cancer screening every Friday in October and 50 percent discount on Mammograms and 50 percent subsidy on Breast ultrasound scans booked in October.

The Go-Pink campaign shall also enable the Foundation to raise funds to support its stated objective of providing care, compassion and hope to thousands of women across Nigeria.

Priority for the Foundation is the purchase of a mammogram machine so that the NGO can offer more subsidies for women needing to do this vital test.

The NGO would also like to purchase a vehicle to improve their ability to deliver cancer screening outreach to women living in grassroots communities.

The Foundation therefore calls on well-meaning members of the public to come out and support Go-Pink Breast Cancer Benefit Concert by buying tickets to enjoy a wonderful dinner/concert at the prestigious InterContinental Hotel, Victoria Island – Lagos on Saturday, October 4th 2014 from 7pm.