The Nation Newspaper

Tag: free cancer screening

  • Free cancer screening for Ogun communities

    The Eye Department of General Hospital Ota in Ado/Odo-Ota, a suburb of Ogun State, witnessed unprecedented crowd that benefitted from the free cancer awareness/screening programme organised by Ota Diamond Lions Club under the District 404B1 International Association of Lions Clubs.

    Lions Club, which is world’s largest non-governmental, non-ethnic and non-religious humanitarian organisation, began the exercise at 9:00 a.m. The District Governor of the club, Olalekan Babalola led no fewer than 50 members across the District at the event held at Idiroko Road, Sango Under-bridge. There was a road walk rounded some major streets within the Ado/Odo-Ota Local Government Area. They sang, danced and distributed fliers to sensitise the public to the need to always go for health screening any time they notice strange signs in their body system.

    Lion Babalola said about one third of the 1.5 million cases of cancer that occurs each year could be prevented by adapting a healthy lifestyle, according to American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR).

    He pledged that Lions Club International would continue to support governments to provide services to humankind. He noted that the club had been engaging in diabetes screening programme, feeding the hungy, eye/vision screening and environmental improvement to better the society.

    The programme was aimed at complementing governments’ efforts towards provision of adequate solutions to paediatric cancer which is one of the deadly diseases that are threatening the society.

    The participants were advised not to smoke, drink alcohol, avoid much intake of antibiotics drugs, limit radiation exposures, always physically active, regular health screening as well as the symptoms of childhood cancer in order to prevent cancer.

    The event was organised as part of activities to mark the official presentation of Lion Opeyemi Omotayo Akinnola as the 18th President of Ota Diamond Lions Club who will direct the affairs of the Club for the next one year.

    Lion Akinnola had served in different capacities such as Club Secretary, Club First and Second Vice-President, Activity Chairpersons, among others since he joined Lions Club International eight years ago.

    The Club’s President said he would double his efforts to ensure humanitarian services continue. He said Lions Club was established in 1917 with the aim to engender and foster the spirit of understanding among people.

  • Free cancer screening for LASCOTA members, others

    Free cancer screening for LASCOTA members, others

    The Women’s Right and Health Project, WRAHP, during the week, held a free cancer awareness programme and free screening for members of Ikotun, Igando LCDA where Lagos state council of tradesmen and artisans, LASCOTA took centre stage.

    The screening which was held at the Ikotun/Igando health centre premises saw attendance of over 200 people.

    Speaking during the screening, the General Coordinator of LASCOTA, Mr Bola Ashiru said his association took the matter of the cancer screening seriously because over everything, health is first and when they heard that the service was free, he said they must embrace it. “More than 500 members put their names down as interested for the screening and I expect that all of them will participate.” Said he.

    On how he was able to pull the crowd, the General Coordinator of 57 local governments said before the day of the screening he had called members together and spoken to them about the importance of getting involved.

    On his part, a benefactor, Mr Patrick Adefioye said the program is highly educative and very good for everyone to take advantage of so as to know one’s health status.

    “I encourage people to come out for such programmes whenever WRAHP is doing it, because one may have cancer and not know it and according to the doctor, it has four levels, so if it is detected at the early stage it is good.

    The good news is that the screening process is not so cumbersome as you can see I have gone in and I have been tested.”

    Meanwhile, Nwakor Angela, an official of WRAHP explained that the need for the screening arose as part of their efforts to promote the health of the community people.

    “The programme was supported by Aspire Coronation Trust Foundation and it is going to continue for the next four months for the people of this community,” she said.

  • Women, students get free cancer screening, eyeglasses

    A women’s services foundation, International Inner Wheel (IWC), yesterday sponsored free cervical cancer screening for 100 women and donated free eyeglasses to 100 students in Lagos.

    The event held at the Mushin Primary Health Care Centre.

    IWC President Yemisi Alatise said cervical cancer though deadly can be prevented if detected early.

    She said the beneficiaries of the screening were women who could not afford it and that the IWC would pay for the treatment of those in whom the cancer is detected.

    Alatise, however, enjoined the women to practice safer sex and avoid smoking.

    National Representative/President, National Governing Body of IWC in Nigeria, Lady Uche Agbim, said the project had been successfully executed in all the states in the federation and “Lagos State being the last to take place.”

    The free eyeglasses programme, according to Agbim, is important because early eye tests help in preventing blindness.

    She said: “Eye test play a huge part in making sure your eyes stay healthy, apart from revealing whether you need to start wearing glasses or need to change your prescription, it also helps to detect some common medical conditions”.

    In her address, the District Chairman, Inner Wheel District 911, Wemimo Olasanya said over 1000 women had benefitted from the project.

    According to the organisers, IWC, which was founded 93 years ago in Manchester by Mrs. Oliver Golding, is the largest women’s service oriented organisation in the world.

  • Women get free cancer screening

    Women get free cancer screening

    For two consecutive Fridays in the month of January, over 200 women from Surulere Local Government and its environs gathered at the Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, Bode Thomas Surulere for a free breast and cervical cancer screening exercise. The exercise was organised and sponsored by the Surulere Patriotic Association (PAS), a non-governmental foundation dedicated to meaningful and social development in Surulere Local Government.

    The exercise started with a lecture session where Dr Femi Olaleye, the Medical Director of the Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, took time to educate participants on how cancer could be easily prevented through regular screening to drive caution and prevention. Dr Olaleye said the centre has screened about 10, 000 women in the last one year with 10 percent of the women testing positive to cervical cancer. He, however, added that managing cancer is lot easier when detected early and therefore advised women to invest in their health by attending regular screenings so that they won’t be caught off guard. “Parents should also bring their teenage daughters for cervical cancer screening since any woman who is sexually active is at the risk of getting the Human Papilloma Virus which is present at the genitalia of most men. Those who have reached menopause are not also exempted until they are 65 years old,” he stressed further.

    Mrs Ronke Balogun, a supervisor for women affairs and poverty alleviation in Itire-Ikate LCDA, who participated in the exercise, described it as a good experience and an ample opportunity for grassroots women to be educated since some still believe cancer is caused by juju. Although she confessed to doing her screening for the first time, she admonishes women to invest more in their health not just on Aso ebi only.

    Mr Fuad Laguda, a trustee member of PAS who monitored the exercise on both occasions, pledged continuous support for health and empowerment activities not just for women alone but men and youths in Surulere.

    To add glamour to the event, Ms. Tolu Bewaji of the Ojuelewa Institute led her team to offer free make-over sessions for women who attended the screening.

    Thirty cases of cervical cancer, five casese of breast lumps were discovered during the screening. The secretary of the association, Mr. Megbon Martins said efforts are on the way to reach the ministry of health for medical assistance on these cases.