Breast Cancer: Akeredolu’s wife charges survivors to speak out, help others

Mrs Betty Akeredolu, wife of the Ondo State Governor and Founder of Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN), on Friday, encouraged cancer survivors to speak out and help others battling with the disease. She made the call at the monthly seminar of “Team Survivor Nigeria’’, organised for breast cancer survivors and those undergoing treatment, counselling and care, at the BRECAN House in Akure.

She commended the Team Survivors in Nigeria (TSN), a Non-Governmental Organisation, “for doing amazing job by regularly monitoring and educating breast cancer survivors and those who are still undergoing treatment.”

She traced the establishment of TSN to a seminar she attended in Zambia.

According to the governor’s wife, breast cancer is not a death sentence as many sufferers are now coming out to seek foe help.

She said : “I am happy that many cancer sufferers are now bold and can face the camera.

“There was a time in this country when breast cancer patients were afraid to discuss it so that their families and friends would not know their health status.

“I remember when I used to educate people and share flyers about cancer and people would just throw it back at me saying `God forbid’ .

“But today, the awareness is better and many now understand that breast cancer is not a death sentence,” The governor’s wife urged survivors to speak out because it would encourage others to know that breast cancer is curable.

She also called on the Federal Government to make provisions for cancer patients in the country. A breast cancer survivor and one of the TSN member, Mrs Funmilayo Oluwagbamila, said that the group, which started in April 2018 with 10 survivors and five cancer patients, presently has over 20 participants.

A retired Chief Matron at the Ondo State Specialist Hospital, Akure, Mrs Funke Osho, urged cancer patients to patronise professionals and undergo full cancer treatment. Osho advised them to make it a point of duty to visit doctors at least once in a month and exercise regularly.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a cancer survivor and a registered nurse, Ann-Malo, from University of California, San Diego, was at the seminar.

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