Breast Cancer: Vice President Wife Commends DEPOWA for Creating Awareness

Wife of Nigeria’s Vice President Hajia Nana Shettima has commended the Defence and Police Officers Wives Association, DEPOWA for raising awareness about the scourge of breast cancer.

 

READ ALSO:Cervical cancer: Foundation screens 100 women in Kaduna

 

The Special Guest of Honour, who also doubles as the Vice Chairman of the Renewed Hope Initiative made the commendation when DEPOWA held its Breast Cancer Awareness Walk in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Babangida Women Centre, Dr Asabe Bashir said “this effort is not only commendable, but also a very inspiring example for other organizations to emulate”.

 

 

According to her, the Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness, which began in 1985 as a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the Pharmaceutical Division of Imperial Chemical Industries, is marked every year in October.

Hence, every month now, every October is now known as Pink October, she added.

She noted that over the years, these campaigns about breast cancer, which is currently the second most commonly diagnosed cancer globally, have successfully raised awareness about the importance of prevention and routine screening for early detection.

“I commend the DEPOWA for striving towards contributing to the success of this global campaign to increase awareness among men and women”, she said.

 

 

She urged the participants to

1. Create awareness and share information about the risk factors associated with breast cancer.

2. To promote screening, encourage regular mammograms for early detection.

3. To provide resources and share information about available care services and support networks.

“If we do these three, we are going to face breast cancer in whatever way it comes by working together, we can empower ourselves and our communities with knowledge leading to early diagnosis and ultimately better outcomes for those affected by this disease”, she added.

She urged them to all walk, talk with purpose and hope to combat breast cancer today, tomorrow, and forever.

The DEPOWA President, Mrs Oghgho Musa said that “Breast Cancer Awareness Month is more than a campaign, it is a movement, to unite, amplify the message, and make a difference”.

DEPOWA President noted that the month of October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month a time to reaffirm their commitments to fighting this disease.

According to her, today, they gathered to honour survivors, remember loved ones lost, and reaffirm its dedication to eradicating breast cancer.

She noted that breast cancer affects one in eight women worldwide adding that It’s a harsh reality that crushes families, friends, and communities but they are not just statistics, they are stories of hope, courage, and resilience In 2022, the World Health Organization reported that 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 617,000 died from the disease.

“This equates to a woman being diagnosed every two minutes with breast cancer and dying every 50 seconds from the same disease highlighting the burden of this dreaded disease hence, the need to create more awareness as part of activities in October Being the Breast Cancer Awareness Month’, she said.

“Therefore, they need to know that early detection saves lives, Mammogram screening, breast examinations, and education are crucial even though this is common among women”, she added.

Mrs Musa noted that men can also be affected and develop breast cancer especially men with positive family history.

“Therefore, let’s break the silence, encourage conversations and support research around breast cancer because breast cancer awareness is a reminder of the importance of healthcare as Angelina Jolie, an American actress and a breast cancer awareness advocate stated that we need to make sure women know their options and have access to quality care”, she said.

She expressed her gratitude to everyone who has contributed one way or the other in making the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk a success as her special gratitude goes to the Mother of the Nation, her mother, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Founder of Renew Hope Initiative, Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her motherly inspiration and continuous guidance.

She also appreciated the Special Guest of Honour, Hajia Shetima, wife of the Vice President of Nigeria and Vice President, Renew Hope Initiative for being here with them amongst others for their support including her husband, General Christopher Musa.

The Consultant, Public Health Physicians and the Chair DEPOWA Health Committee, Dr. Juliette Ango said that “it takes a community to fight breast cancer as they are deliberating and being aware, raising awareness of breast cancer”.

“That is why we’re here for this awareness. And the theme, the breast cancer theme for this year is no one should watch suffer from breast cancer alone”, she added.

According to her, they have family history, they have age, and they have genetic mutation which means that one can be on her own and just develop breast cancer without having a very risk factor, a known risk factor, so anything can just mutate and before you know it, one will start developing a lump and oral use of contraceptives with also hormonal medications can cause breast cancer.

She noted that knowing your risk and your family history, visit your doctor regularly for medical checkup and clinical exam, in as much as we’ll be doing self-examination, the doctor from time to time is supposed to be able to examine you medically, clinically, and see whether there is any lump.

 

Meanwhile, early dictation is the key to fight breast cancer.