The Nigeria Defence Academy Officers Wives Association, NDAOWA, has organized an awareness programme for women as part of activities marking the world Breast Cancer Awareness month. The event, which took place at Lt General 00 Oluyede Army Wing, Nigeria Defence Academy, Afaka, had the theme: "Every story is unique, every journey matters". The programme aimed to educate women on the importance of early detection of breast cancer.
The Coordinator of NDAOWA, Mrs Oritseseyisan Adeola Olatoye, welcomed all guests and explained that the essence of the breast cancer awareness program was to enable more women to gain knowledge that would help in early detection, which could save more lives. She pledged continuous commitment to support and promote programs that affect and change lives positively. The programme featured a paper presentation by the guest speaker, Dr. Zainab Akani.
Dr. Zainab Akani explained that early detection of breast cancer helps in treatment and advised that any changes in the breast should be reported to the hospital immediately. She recommended self-breast examination regularly, particularly 2 to 5 days after the menstrual period, to get the right result. Dr. Zainab pointed out that major causes of breast cancer include genes, eating unhealthy foods, getting to menopause late, lifestyle, and excessive alcohol intake.
Two breast cancer survivors, Gladys Ameh and Bola Williams, shared their experiences and urged women not to shy away from the reality of breast cancer. They emphasized that early detection can help save lives, as stage one breast cancer patients are easier to manage than stage four, which can lead to death. However, they lamented the high cost of treatment and appealed to the Coordinator of NDAOWA to help facilitate getting a screening centre at the NDA Afaka with a mammogram machine.
The survivors also requested consultants that would attend to patients at a low cost. In his goodwill message, the Commander of the Hospital in NDA commended the coordinator of the Association and the Commandant of NDA for putting together a resourceful program that would help save people's lives. He urged all participants to take the lessons learned seriously.
The program featured a question-and-answer session, where Dr. Fatima Idris and the guest speaker, Dr. Zainab Akani, answered all the questions asked. The Coordinator of NDAOWA assured the participants that the Association would continue to support and promote programs that affect and change lives positively.
The awareness programme was a success, with participants commending the organizers for the initiative. The programme ended with a call to action for women to take charge of their health and to spread the message of early detection and treatment of breast cancer.
Key points
- Early detection of breast cancer can save lives
- Self-breast examination is recommended regularly, particularly 2 to 5 days after the menstrual period
- The high cost of treatment is a major challenge for breast cancer patients in Nigeria
