Groups unite against cancer

TO reduce cases of death associated with cancer and the prevalence of the disease the management of Ikeja Golf Club has urged women all over the country to go for regular medical check up.

In his address at the ground finale of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Awareness Tournament, Captain Tokunbo Ajomale observed that regular check-up would go a long way in reducing the prevalence of the disease in the country.

The retired Air Force officer noted that awareness of breast and cervical cancer should be current among the women-folk.
He stated that, “statistics have shown that the survival rates in developed countries are high and is between 80 to 90 percent compare to the Third World. May be because we don’t pay serious attention to early detection of this dreaded disease.
“In the spirit of change in our country, ladies from age 18 years and above are advised to embark on self regular medical check up as this will go along way to reduce the prevalence of the disease in our environment.”

He commended the efforts of the organizers of the event as well as the enlightenment campaign that was jointly sponsored by the Lagos State Government, Inanna Women Empowerment Foundation, More Beauty for Ashes, Diamond Bank, St Nicholas Hospital, Optimal Cancer Care Foundation among others for conceiving the idea, for staging it and for following it to its conclusion.

Also speaking at the occasion, coordinator and Executive director of More Beauty for Ashes, Mrs Mamudu Oyinlola said over 500 persons, golfers and non-golfer benefited from the programme.

She said the second annual programme would focus on the less privileged with the hope of sensitizing them and raise awareness on how to prevent the disease.

At the end of the tournament, 27 people were awarded trophies in the categories of: Gross over-all, the net overall, the longest drive, the veteran guest, men and ladies among whom are: Mrs Chichi Alamu, Alaba Adetunji, Veronica Chika and Nike Nedum.

In his lecture, Dr Femi Olaleye said over 1000 new cancer cases are discovered every year in Nigeria due to lack of adequate cancer screening and cancer treatment centres, adding that majority of Nigerians struck with the scourge of cancer eventually die miserably in pains and agony.

According to him, breast cancer and cervical cancer have the highest prevalence among Nigerian women while prostate cancer is the number one cancer in Nigerian men despite the fact that these are preventable.
“In many cases, there are no obvious symptoms at all which makes it difficult to detect and by the time it becomes obvious, it is almost too late and may lead to death. 1 to 2 in every 25 women are at risk but higher risks exist for women who are age 45 above.”

Olaleye said the good news today is that vaccination against the virus is now available and can be administered from age of 10 before sexual exposure to adulthood.

He suggested that men above 40 years with or without symptoms of urinary frequency or difficult in urination should get doctors to examine his their prostate gland and perform blood test Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA).
claims by the deceased family that she died in the institution’s medical centre due to workers’ negligence.

He said: “I know our medical employees are professionals and experts and I believe they acted according to professional standards. However, the panel will investigate the matter.”