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Tag: breast cancer

  • Ikoyi Club hosts Breast Cancer Awareness Tennis Open

    Ikoyi Club hosts Breast Cancer Awareness Tennis Open

    The Island Women Tennis Players Association in collaboration with Ikoyi Club 1938 will on Saturday November 4 stage the Breast Cancer Awareness Tennis Open competition.

    This is the second edition of the tournament which is open to Lagos-based female players who are 18 years and above.

    For this edition, Paelon Memorial Hospital are the health partners of the organisers as they look forward to conduct free breast screening for all women participating in the tournament.

    Head of the Planning Committee for the tourney, Nora Azubuike, told our correspondent that participants would benefit greatly in the one-day event.

     “Our partners, Paelon Hospital will also speak to us about our health generally and give demonstration on how to conduct self-check.

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    “We expect a good turnout just as we had in the first edition last year. We look forward to interact, make friends and also enjoy good tennis as we gain knowledge about how to take care of our health,” Azubuike said.

    The tournament will be conducted in American format of doubles games that are point based for individual participants. The player with highest points wins the competition.

    The planning committee head added that all arrangements have been concluded to make the event hitch-free.

     “All the areas of logistics are being attended to and we are all set for Saturday,” she noted.  

    Nene Lawani and Somi Ochuba were the winners in the maiden edition of the competition held last year also at Ikoyi Club.

    1XBET Cup: Landmark edges Vino Gano  in five-goal  clash

    The Ikorodu Conference of the 1XBET Grassroots Football tournament  got ignited on Match-day 2 yesterday as Landmark FC rallied back from a goal down to beat  youthful Vino Gano FC 3-2.

    Three quick fire goals scored in the 15th , 17th  and 19th  gave Landmark victory.

     Coming back from its loss in Match-day 1, youthful Vino Gano FC drew the first blood through diminutive Imeh Jackson in the 7th  minute. However, Landmark rallied back as Ashavin Junior, Sadiq Adebayo and Fele Wayinbo fired the three goals.

    In the 57th  minute, unrelenting Imeh Jackson of Vino Gano got his second goal of the game, but it wasn’t enough to stop Landmark FC from going top of the log on six points in Group A.

    Elsewhere, in the other two game of the evening, Edunz Inter FC and Lofty Skills drew 3-3while Slas FC and Faith FC similarly drew 2-2.

    Group A came alive yesterday once again as both teams gave each other no space for domination. Omisore opened scoring for Edunz FC in the third  minute and Ola John responded for Lofty Skills a minute later. Edunz ran into the leads with two goals from Abiodun Toheeb in 22nd  minute and Ige Segun, in the 39th  for his second in the championship. Lofty Skills came back with goals by Abdul Salami in the 49th  minute and got the equaliser via the penalty spot by Victor Obaro in the 52nd  minute. In the group, there’s yet, everything to fight for in the last group games.

    Meanwhile, matches continue today in the Ikorodu Conference playoffs.

  • Women get hintson breast cancer care

    Women get hintson breast cancer care

    Women have been warned against self-medication when  experiencing changes or pain around their breasts, to prevent cancer.

    Registrar of Gipec College of Chaplains Incorporated, Lagos, Dr. Grace Dimanozie, gave the advice during a breast cancer awareness organised by the youth wing of the National Council for Women’s Societies, Lagos State Chapter. The event held at the Oluremi Tinubu hall in Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

    Dr. Dimanozie said one of the most recognised signs of breast cancer is the presence of a lump in the breast or under the armpit. She added that self-examination was a simple way to detect lumps.

    Read Also: NCWS organises breast cancer awareness program for women

    Other symptoms, according to her, include changes in the breast’s size, redness in the area around the nipple, thickening or swelling of a portion of the breast, and discharge from the nipple other than breast milk, etc.

    She added: “If you notice any symptoms, go to the hospital because early detection saves life. Stay away from self-medication and always visit a specialist in a certified hospital for routine checks. I repeat, avoid self-medication”.

  • NCWS organises breast cancer awareness program for women

    NCWS organises breast cancer awareness program for women

    To prevent breast cancer, women have been warned not to self-medicate when they experience any changes or pain around their breasts.

    This advisory was by the Registrar of Gipec College of Chaplains Incorporated, Lagos, Dr. Grace Dimanozie during the National Council for Women’s Societies, Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter, Youth Wing, breast cancer awareness program held at the Oluremi Tinubu hall in the Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

    The convener and Lagos State Coordinator of the youth wing, Modupeola Obatuga in her address said the program aimed to educate participants on breast cancer’s symptoms and signs as well as preventative measures, such as doing a self-examination.

    Also, Head of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Oluwatoyin Abiodun said ignorance is not a justification for skipping a medical checkup.

    Oluwatoyin urged women to allow their spouses to touch and examine them for any indications of a lump in the breast.

    Read Also: Tinubu will change things for the better, Edun tells ministry staff

    She also appealed to the women to consistently participate in health awareness activities to improve their health.

    “If you have money without good health, you have nothing. Please, allow your husband to check your breast for any sign of lump in your breast.

    “Out of ignorance, a lot of women save money in their breasts not knowing they are killing themselves gradually and before they realise what is happening, they will contract cancer of the breast.”

    In her lecture, Dr. Grace said one of the most recognised signs of breast cancer is the presence of a lump in the breast or under the armpit while adding that breast self-exams are a simple way to detect lumps.

    According to her, breast cancer is a challenging and life-threatening disease that affects millions of women globally.

    She explained that a lump in the breast or beneath the armpit is one of the most common indicators of breast cancer.

    The healthcare consultant added that one simple way to detect lumps in the breasts is to examine oneself.

    She also mentioned other symptoms, such as any changes in the breast’s sise, redness in the area around the nipple, thickening or swelling of a portion of the breast, and discharge from the nipple other than breast milk, etc.

    “Cancer has eaten deep into every part of some people’s body without them knowing. If you notice any symptoms go to the hospital because early detection saves life. Stay away from self-medication and always visit a specialist in a certified hospital for routine medical checkups. I repeat, avoid self-medication or agbo.

    “A lump in the breast can be a potential indicator of breast cancer, many believe. However, several other signs are overlooked and this gives the cancer a chance to grow and spread rapidly.

    “Hence it is important to know the different signs of breast cancer. Early detection and understanding of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer are crucial for timely diagnosis and effective treatment.

    “While breast cancer can manifest in various ways, it is essential to be aware of the common symptoms and seek medical attention when any of these warning signs appear.

    “Another symptom of breast cancer is changes in breast size or shape. If you notice one breast appearing noticeably different from the other or changes like swelling, dimpling, or puckering of the skin, it’s important to consult a doctor. These alterations can be indicative of an underlying issue, including breast cancer.

    “Unintended weight loss can sometimes be a sign of more advanced breast cancer. When cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it can lead to changes in appetite and metabolism, resulting in weight loss. The guest speaker advised the women to minimise alcohol intake, give up smoking, exercise frequently, be aware of their family history, and manage stress, among other things, to prevent breast cancer.”

  • Total E&P Nigeria Limited enlightens women on breast cancer

    Total E&P Nigeria Limited in partnership with NNPC/NAPIMS, Petrobras, Sapetro and CNOOC held a two day breast cancer awareness campaign to enlighten women in their host communities about the deadly disease.

    Speaking at the launch which held at Ajah Market, recently in Lagos, the Managing Director, Total E&P Nigeria Limited, Nicholas Terraz reiterated their commitment towards eradicating breast cancer, saying that they have built mammography  centers which are at the final stages of installation of the required  mammography systems at Gbagada and Isolo General Hospital respectively.

    He said they believe these will provide easily available and highly subsidized mammography services with image-guided breast lump biopsy capability to the women in Lagos State.

    Terraz who was represented by General Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Total, Charles Ngeribara, said for their CSR, they have several projects in health, education, sports, community development, and skills acquisitions.

    “We have a very large bucket of activities we do to empower of people. As they say, health is wealth so one major area of our focus is in health, so we do health projects and this just happens to be one of them.”

    Expatiating on the ongoing projects at Gbagada and Isolo General Hospitals, he said the facilities will be ready and commissioned in May, 2019, stressing that projects are at the concluding stage.

    He stated that these centers would be providing highly subsidized services, adding that it was the reason why Total is building, equipping and donating it to the Lagos State government in their general hospitals.

    “The reason for taking the stipends is to maintain the equipment, to get consumables so it is self-financing,” he added.

    Asked if the company has plans to take such good tidings to other states across the country he said they are already at different stages in the construction and equipment of mammography centers around the country. “As we speak, there are two that are ready in Zamfara state and will be commissioned next month, and then we are building in Anambra state, Imo state and Bayelsa state.

    “We are not going to end there, the aim is that every geo-political zones and every state will have mammography centers that will be donated by Total, but we are not doing them all at once. We have a programme that will cover the entire country.”

    He disclosed that Total is not doing any of its CSRs to benefit itself, but the communities where they operate and are hosted.

    “Total is in partner with the federal government to help enhance the activities of the government itself. It is our hope that by bringing diagnostic facilities nearer to the, Nigerian women would be saved from the danger of living with undetected breast lumps or undiagnosed breast cancer,” he said.

     

  • Breast Cancer: Oncologist urges women to examine self frequently

    Dr Mary Kigho, an Oncologist, Universal Hospital, Benin has advised women to examine their breast frequently for early detection of breast cancer.

    Kigho, who gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Benin, defined breast cancer as “a cancer that forms lumps in the cells of the breasts.”

    She said that tests and procedures were the best methods to diagnose early breast cancer.

    “Women should always examine their breasts to ascertain if there are lumps; they can also visit doctors to check their breasts and lymph nodes in their armpits.

    READ ALSO: Curbing breast cancer

    “A Mammogram can also be used to detect if a patient has breast cancer.

    “If breast cancer is detected early, it can be operated upon, but it is difficult to treat if detected late,” she said.

    Kigho said the symptoms of the disease include, change in breast size or shape, a lump or area that feels thicker than the rest of the breast.

    She also identified change in skin texture such as puckering or dimpling (like an orange skin) as another symptom of the disease.

    Others are redness or rash on the skin or around the nipple; nipple becoming pulled and look different, breast pain, swelling in an armpit or around collarbone, according to her.

    Kigho further urged women with such symptoms to visit doctors immediately, adding that “ early detection saves lives”

  • ‘Breast cancer not death sentence’

    Some women choose to die, rather than remove their breasts once they are diagnosed with breast cancer, but Abigail Simon-Hart chose to live after having undergone mastectomy with the use of mastectomy bras. In this interview with Omolara Akintoye, she reveals how she discovered the disease, her life after surgery and how she is now giving back to society

    MADAM we are sorry to inform you that you have breast cancer,” that was the shocking news from her doctor five years ago, according to Abigail Simon-Hart. Narrating her ordeal, she said, “My experience as a breast cancer survivor was through my mother, because my mother had breast cancer. So, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer I was well aware. I used to go for mammogram before I had it, so as a result of this we were able to detect breast cancer early enough.”

    According to Simon-Hart, a breast cancer survivor and founder, Bricon Foundation, established to assist breast cancer survivors, cancer is a life changing diagnosis, but she’s grateful for detecting early enough. “As I speak, I’m bold to say I’m currently cancer-free. It boils down to the fact that cancer is not a death sentence. Nowadays as a result of the advance in medicine, cancer is fast becoming almost like a chronic disease such as high blood pressure and diabetes and malaria. You discover that in developed countries, people with 3rd-4th stage are living longer, as long as 20 years, because they are able to manage the disease.”

    Waiting until it has spread, she said, could be more dangerous and expensive to manage. It is just that at the later stage it is more expensive and more difficult to cure.

    She lamented that here in Nigeria, the lack of infrastructure, medical personnel that will detect the disease early enough, coupled with fact that people also die of ignorance, are responsible for the high mortality rate from the disease.

    “It was easier for me because I was aware of breast cancer. I knew my body very well, though it was a shock for me initially. I was quite upset, but I had to face the fact that I had cancer and I had to do the needful to stay alive.  I chose to have a double mastectomy and that decision saved my life.

    “Looking at me now you’ll never believe I had double mastectomy,” she said.

    Life after surgery

    “After the surgery, I went for various scans. They discovered that it was still early, that it had not left my breast, so it was easier to remove the two breasts and place me on hormonal treatment to clear any cancer cells that might still remain and ever since, I’ve been cancer free. It was a very difficult but important decision that I had to take, and for five years I’ve been cancer free. So I’m using the mastectomy bra now.”

    Essence of the bra: Once you remove your breast as a result of breast cancer, for some, it might be one breast while for others it might be the two, you need something there to fill up the space, to prevent stigma.

    “The message is that having your breast removed is not a death sentence, people worry a lot about dying, yet we’ll all die one day; but, for now, let us concentrate on living. Fight on and be strong. Now I’m an advocate in donating mastectomy bras to breast cancer patients,” she said.

    Managing breast cancer, she said, is very expensive but the key is early detection which is far cheaper than cure. It is expensive because people discover quite late. If it’s detected early, one might not need to do chemotherapy. I was only placed on hormonal treatment which was not quite expensive.

    Government, private investors and corporate organisations need to provide the necessary equipment, personnel, funds and the drugs, as well as have an insurance scheme that provides for these people to be able to access it either free of charge or at subsidised rate.

  • ‘Breast cancer not death sentence’

    Some women choose to die, rather than remove their breasts once they are diagnosed with breast cancer, but Abigail Simon-Hart chose to live after having undergone mastectomy with the use of mastectomy bras. In this interview with Omolara Akintoye, she reveals how she discovered the disease, her life after surgery and how she is now giving back to society

    MADAM we are sorry to inform you that you have breast cancer,” that was the shocking news from her doctor five years ago, according to Abigail Simon-Hart. Narrating her ordeal, she said, “My experience as a breast cancer survivor was through my mother, because my mother had breast cancer. So, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer I was well aware. I used to go for mammogram before I had it, so as a result of this we were able to detect breast cancer early enough.”

    According to Simon-Hart, cancer is a life changing diagnosis, but she’s grateful for detecting early enough. “As I speak, I’m bold to say I’m currently cancer-free. It boils down to the fact that cancer is not a death sentence. Nowadays as a result of the advance in medicine, cancer is fast becoming almost like a chronic disease such as high blood pressure and diabetes and malaria. You discover that in developed countries, people with 3rd-4th stage are living longer, as long as 20 years, because they are able to manage the disease.”

    Waiting until it has spread, she said, could be more dangerous and expensive to manage. It is just that at the later stage it is more expensive and more difficult to cure.

    She lamented that here in Nigeria, the lack of infrastructure, medical personnel that will detect the disease early enough, coupled with fact that people also die of ignorance, are responsible for the high mortality rate from the disease.

    “It was easier for me because I was aware of breast cancer. I knew my body very well, though it was a shock for me initially. I was quite upset, but I had to face the fact that I had cancer and I had to do the needful to stay alive.  I chose to have a double mastectomy and that decision saved my life.

    “Looking at me now you’ll never believe I had double mastectomy,” she said.

    Life after surgery

    “After the surgery, I went for various scans. They discovered that it was still early, that it had not left my breast, so it was easier to remove the two breasts and place me in hormonal treatment to clear any cancer cells that might still remain and ever since, I’ve been cancer free. It was a very difficult but important decision that I had to take, and for five years I’ve been cancer free. So I’m using the mastectomy bra now.”

    Essence of the bra: Once you remove your breast as a result of breast cancer, for some, it might be one breast while for others it might be the two, you need something there to fill up the space, to prevent stigma.

    “The message is that having your breast removed is not a death sentence, people worry a lot about dying, yet we’ll all die one day; but, for now, let us concentrate on living. Fight on and be strong. Now I’m an advocate in donating mastectomy bras to breast cancer patients,” she said.

    Managing breast cancer, she said, is very expensive but the key is early detection which is far cheaper than cure. It is expensive because people discover quite late. If it’s detected early, one might not need to do chemotherapy. I was only placed on hormonal treatment which was not quite expensive.

    Government, private investors and corporate organisations need to provide the necessary equipment, personnel, funds and the drugs as well as have an insurance scheme that provides for these people to be able to access it either free of charge or at subsidised rate.

  • Curbing breast cancer

    One of the many paradoxes that characterise breast cancer is the fact that its curative therapies cause almost as much pain and distress as the ailment itself. The recent announcement of a new discovery which will substantially reduce the number of patients needing chemotherapy is very welcome news.

    A phase-3 clinical trial called TAILORx, carried out on 10,253 women aged between 17 and 85 in the United States, Canada, Peru, Australia and New Zealand since 2006 shows that many women with early-stage breast cancer who would normally be recommended for chemotherapy do not, in fact, need it. This finding will spare thousands of women the side-effects of a treatment method which includes nausea and hair-loss, and can lead to heart and nerve damage, as well as the risk of leukaemia later in life.

    Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, and refers to a malignant growth in the tissues of the breast. It is usually found in women, but can make rare appearances in men. Cancer is responsible for nearly one in every six deaths worldwide. About 14 million people develop it every year, a sobering statistic that is expected to rise to 21 million annually by 2030.

    In Nigeria, some 100,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and about 80,000 die of it annually. This death ratio of 4 in 5 is one of the worst in the world.

    To further aggravate an already-terrible situation, cancer control strategies such as prevention and early diagnosis are relatively unknown in the country, to say nothing of more advanced treatments like chemotherapy and endocrine therapy.

    Breast self-examination (BSE), in which women carry out simple routine checks for unusual lumps or alterations in shape on their breasts, has not been fully integrated into the primary healthcare process. Far too many hospitals lack the capacity to undertake the mammograms which are crucial in the early detection of breast cancer that is vital to its successful treatment.

    For a nation struggling with a host of infectious diseases, as well as very high infant and maternal mortality rates, this apparently willful refusal to seriously confront the breast cancer menace is inexplicable. Its high fatality rates, the prohibitive cost of treatment, and the fact that it targets women has resulted in the devastation of families across the nation, regardless of social class, ethnicity or religion. Increasing lifestyle changes are very likely to result in even more women contracting the disease, turning what is already a healthcare emergency into a full-blown crisis.

    If Nigeria is to properly address the looming disaster that is breast cancer, it will require nothing less than a complete overhaul of current attitudes, infrastructure and public enlightenment methods.

    The ridiculous and outdated notions of modesty which continue to hamper honest and open discussion of breast cancer must cease. It makes little sense to hide behind mythical cultural beliefs to block open dialogue on an issue that is so crucial to the wellbeing of the nation’s women.

    Allied to this is the re-launching of vigorous and comprehensive enlightenment campaigns aimed at educating the populace on what breast cancer is and what its symptoms are. As the most cost-effective element in combatting the disease, there is no reason why it cannot be effectively put into action.

    The country’s healthcare infrastructure must be comprehensively re-tooled to confront breast cancer. This means properly equipping secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions, training more medical professionals in oncology, and creating opportunities for beneficial cooperation with the thousands of Nigerian doctors and nurses working abroad. Health insurance must be overhauled to make it more widespread and better able to cover the cost of cancer treatment.

    The country’s elite must be encouraged to contribute to the funding of cancer research and the establishment of treatment centres, instead of engaging in mindless and offensive displays of wealth.

    Cancer is a harsh reality. The sooner it is comprehensively confronted, the better it will be for Nigeria.

     

  • Curbing breast cancer

    One of the many paradoxes that characterise breast cancer is the fact that its curative therapies cause almost as much pain and distress as the ailment itself. The recent announcement of a new discovery which will substantially reduce the number of patients needing chemotherapy is very welcome news.

    A phase-3 clinical trial called TAILORx, carried out on 10,253 women aged between 17 and 85 in the United States, Canada, Peru, Australia and New Zealand since 2006 shows that many women with early-stage breast cancer who would normally be recommended for chemotherapy do not, in fact, need it. This finding will spare thousands of women the side-effects of a treatment method which includes nausea and hair-loss, and can lead to heart and nerve damage, as well as the risk of leukaemia later in life.

    Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, and refers to a malignant growth in the tissues of the breast. It is usually found in women, but can make rare appearances in men. Cancer is responsible for nearly one in every six deaths worldwide. About 14 million people develop it every year, a sobering statistic that is expected to rise to 21 million annually by 2030.

    In Nigeria, some 100,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and about 80,000 die of it annually. This death ratio of 4 in 5 is one of the worst in the world.

    To further aggravate an already-terrible situation, cancer control strategies such as prevention and early diagnosis are relatively unknown in the country, to say nothing of more advanced treatments like chemotherapy and endocrine therapy.

    Breast self-examination (BSE), in which women carry out simple routine checks for unusual lumps or alterations in shape on their breasts, has not been fully integrated into the primary healthcare process. Far too many hospitals lack the capacity to undertake the mammograms which are crucial in the early detection of breast cancer that is vital to its successful treatment.

    For a nation struggling with a host of infectious diseases, as well as very high infant and maternal mortality rates, this apparently willful refusal to seriously confront the breast cancer menace is inexplicable. Its high fatality rates, the prohibitive cost of treatment, and the fact that it targets women has resulted in the devastation of families across the nation, regardless of social class, ethnicity or religion. Increasing lifestyle changes are very likely to result in even more women contracting the disease, turning what is already a healthcare emergency into a full-blown crisis.

    If Nigeria is to properly address the looming disaster that is breast cancer, it will require nothing less than a complete overhaul of current attitudes, infrastructure and public enlightenment methods.

    The ridiculous and outdated notions of modesty which continue to hamper honest and open discussion of breast cancer must cease. It makes little sense to hide behind mythical cultural beliefs to block open dialogue on an issue that is so crucial to the wellbeing of the nation’s women.

    Allied to this is the re-launching of vigorous and comprehensive enlightenment campaigns aimed at educating the populace on what breast cancer is and what its symptoms are. As the most cost-effective element in combatting the disease, there is no reason why it cannot be effectively put into action.

    The country’s healthcare infrastructure must be comprehensively re-tooled to confront breast cancer. This means properly equipping secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions, training more medical professionals in oncology, and creating opportunities for beneficial cooperation with the thousands of Nigerian doctors and nurses working abroad. Health insurance must be overhauled to make it more widespread and better able to cover the cost of cancer treatment.

    The country’s elite must be encouraged to contribute to the funding of cancer research and the establishment of treatment centres, instead of engaging in mindless and offensive displays of wealth.

    Cancer is a harsh reality. The sooner it is comprehensively confronted, the better it will be for Nigeria.

  • Curbing breast cancer

    One of the many paradoxes that characterise breast cancer is the fact that its curative therapies cause almost as much pain and distress as the ailment itself. The recent announcement of a new discovery which will substantially reduce the number of patients needing chemotherapy is very welcome news.

    A phase-3 clinical trial called TAILORx, carried out on 10,253 women aged between 17 and 85 in the United States, Canada, Peru, Australia and New Zealand since 2006 shows that many women with early-stage breast cancer who would normally be recommended for chemotherapy do not, in fact, need it. This finding will spare thousands of women the side-effects of a treatment method which includes nausea and hair-loss, and can lead to heart and nerve damage, as well as the risk of leukaemia later in life.

    Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, and refers to a malignant growth in the tissues of the breast. It is usually found in women, but can make rare appearances in men. Cancer is responsible for nearly one in every six deaths worldwide. About 14 million people develop it every year, a sobering statistic that is expected to rise to 21 million annually by 2030.

    In Nigeria, some 100,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and about 80,000 die of it annually. This death ratio of 4 in 5 is one of the worst in the world.

    To further aggravate an already-terrible situation, cancer control strategies such as prevention and early diagnosis are relatively unknown in the country, to say nothing of more advanced treatments like chemotherapy and endocrine therapy.

    Breast self-examination (BSE), in which women carry out simple routine checks for unusual lumps or alterations in shape on their breasts, has not been fully integrated into the primary healthcare process. Far too many hospitals lack the capacity to undertake the mammograms which are crucial in the early detection of breast cancer that is vital to its successful treatment.

    For a nation struggling with a host of infectious diseases, as well as very high infant and maternal mortality rates, this apparently willful refusal to seriously confront the breast cancer menace is inexplicable. Its high fatality rates, the prohibitive cost of treatment, and the fact that it targets women has resulted in the devastation of families across the nation, regardless of social class, ethnicity or religion. Increasing lifestyle changes are very likely to result in even more women contracting the disease, turning what is already a healthcare emergency into a full-blown crisis.

    If Nigeria is to properly address the looming disaster that is breast cancer, it will require nothing less than a complete overhaul of current attitudes, infrastructure and public enlightenment methods.

    The ridiculous and outdated notions of modesty which continue to hamper honest and open discussion of breast cancer must cease. It makes little sense to hide behind mythical cultural beliefs to block open dialogue on an issue that is so crucial to the wellbeing of the nation’s women.

    Allied to this is the re-launching of vigorous and comprehensive enlightenment campaigns aimed at educating the populace on what breast cancer is and what its symptoms are. As the most cost-effective element in combatting the disease, there is no reason why it cannot be effectively put into action.

    The country’s healthcare infrastructure must be comprehensively re-tooled to confront breast cancer. This means properly equipping secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions, training more medical professionals in oncology, and creating opportunities for beneficial cooperation with the thousands of Nigerian doctors and nurses working abroad. Health insurance must be overhauled to make it more widespread and better able to cover the cost of cancer treatment.

    The country’s elite must be encouraged to contribute to the funding of cancer research and the establishment of treatment centres, instead of engaging in mindless and offensive displays of wealth.

    Cancer is a harsh reality. The sooner it is comprehensively confronted, the better it will be for Nigeria.