The First Lady of Ondo State and founder of the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN) Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu- Akeredolu, has charged women to regularly check their breast for signs and symptoms of breast cancer. She said early detection saves lives.
Mrs. Akeredolu made this disclosure today at a programme organized by at TEDx Ikenegbu, with the Theme: “A New World” held at Benchmark Hotel, Ikenegbu Owerri, Imo State.
Drawing from her personal experience, Mrs. Akeredolu went down memory lane to share how she discovered that she had breast cancer in 1997, at a time when no one was speaking up and women were afraid of the stigma associated with the disease.
Mrs. Akeredolu, while stressing the need for women with breast cancer to be focused on the treatment and be ready to remove the diseased breast instead of patronizing churches and mosques until the breast start decaying. She added that she established the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN) to launch advocacy for breast cancer survival.
“I went to see a doctor at UCH and it was confirmed that I had breast cancer, stage one. I didn’t know where to go, and of course, nobody was talking about breast cancer as at then. When I decided to set up BRECAN for advocacy, some even told me that my daughters will not get married if I come out public”, she further stressed.
On some of the attainments of BRECAN over the years on the international scene, Mrs. Akeredolu said in 2004, American Cancer Society recognized the work being done and invited her to be among the few Africans to attend a major conference.
She also added that she was a beneficiary of the National Breast Cancer Coalition which picked her to be an advoate and was one of those selected and trained to be at capital (Capitol) Hill to lobby senators for legislation, where she met with Mrs. Hillary Clinton among others.
While also noting the BRECAN has an ally in the White House come January 2021, Mrs. Akeredolu said the journey for BRECAN has not been an easy one. She charged participants not to look down on the days of little beginning or give up on their dreams or the treatment plan if ever diagnosed with cancer.
Speaking on the topic: “Changing the World Through Film Making, , Mr. Ekene Mekwunye, while exploring the world of movies, said movies by its making erupts emotion which can help change mindset and could, as such, be deplored to reach out to the people.
Also speaking on ” An empowered Woman Raises An Empowered Children’, Mrs. Victoria Ibezim said once a woman is empowered, she finds ways to build up people around her, and as so she encouraged that more women should be empowered, saying the future is assured with an empowered generation of women.
Other speakers at the event include Mr. Ritchie Felix who spoke on ” The future of the connected economy” and Dr. Chita Nwanna who spoke on ‘Breaking the Stigma: Woman and Mental Health’ among others.
