The Executive Director, Ovie Brume Foundation, Adeola
Awogbemi, has said that 40 women die of breast cancer each day.
Awogbemi stated this during a walk organised by the
organisation for pupils as part of activities to mark the World Cancer Day 2017
in Yaba, Lagos.
According to her, cancer constitutes a major challenge to
development, undermines social and economic advances throughout the world,
hence the need to raise awareness on the disease, which is rapidly becoming a
global pandemic.
To reduce the number of women dying of breast cancer and to
ensure that the disease is detected early, Awogbemi advised that preventive
measures should start from childhood.
She said, “We feel strongly the need to educate people about
the pandemic and stem the tide by making information available to people.
“It is not the cancer that is really killing them but late
detection. Most people are in denial, so they fast and pray for it to go
instead of treating it. If you detect it early, you can still treat it and
survive it.
“When it comes to preventing cancer, it is wise to educate
the young ones. Perhaps if they start preaching this gospel, if they start
creating awareness in their schools and communities too, people will become
aware.”
Also at the event, the Country Occupational Health
Coordinator at Lafarge Africa Plc, Okoronkwo Chimobi, said that cancer had
become a social problem.
According to her, Nigerians should be worried about the
alarming increase in the number of women that have been diagnosed with the
disease.
She said, “A woman is like the foundation of the family.
She’s a wife, sister and mother and once cancer takes her out of the
equation, the whole pyramid suffers. Most men who lose their wives to breast
cancer find it hard to pick up the pieces of their broken lives.
“Awareness is crucial, if we want to prevent these
deaths. If you educate a girl, she will
pass on the knowledge to her mother and the community. There is a vaccine
against cervical cancer. It should be given to young girls who have not been
initiated to sexual intercourse. We need to vaccinate these children and tell
them that if they delay in having sexual intercourse it can protect them from
this disease. ”
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