STL Trustees and STL Asset Management have partnered to offer free breast cancer ultrasound screening to 100 women under Care Organisation Public Enlightenment (COPE) initiative.
The partnership, in its second consecutive year, is part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives o, implemented through COPE.
The screening, in Lagos, provided screening and education on early detection and disease management.
Head of Trust Services, Legal, at STL Trustees, Akinwumi Oni, said: “At STL Trustees, we run a sustainability policy. Although we are a profit-making business, we are mindful of the people and the planet. We may not treat cancer because it’s expensive, but we can help them detect it early.”
Managing Director of STL Asset Management, Ahmed Banu, explained the rationale behind the engagement: “We received positive feedback from last year, which is why we decided to make it an annual commitment. Breast cancer is prevalent among women, and we feel this is something we can support.”
Read Also: SON to Nigerians: Don’t patronise illegal CNG centres
Banu hinted at plans to expand the organizations’ CSR focus to men’s health: “While supporting women, we are also planning to explore causes that support men’s well-being as prostate cancer screening.”
Chief Executive Officer of COPE, Ebunola Anozie lauded the partnership with the companies as commendable. She noted that her organisation has been providing these free services for 29 years, and collaborations as this enhance their ability to help women prioritise their health
She said: “What we have been doing in the last 29 years, is helping women detect breast cancer early. We have had stories where they have given testimonies that because they detected it early, they didn’t have to remove their breasts and some removed their breasts, and it was much cheaper.
“The essence of this is what we are going through in the world, especially in Nigeria, things are so expensive that people, women neglect their health. Having over 100 women do their breast screening free is a plus on STL. We thank them for the partnership, and I’m sure with this partnership, women in Nigeria will make their health a priority.”