A non-governmental organisation, The David Omenukor Foundation, says it is working to establish a state-of-the-art cancer screening and treatment centre in Nigeria.
The foundation said the centre is part of efforts to expand access to affordable and potentially life-saving cancer care.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Dr Keyna Omenukor, disclosed this while launching the Foundation’s 2026 breast cancer awareness and early detection campaign in Mesquite, Texas, where underserved and vulnerable women received free mammogram screenings.
Omenukor said land had already been acquired in Nigeria for the proposed centre but stressed that achieving the project would require stronger collaboration among the Nigerian government, private-sector organisations, non-governmental organisations, healthcare institutions and diaspora groups.
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“We are welcoming government agencies and NGOs to collaborate with us; we must go beyond our foundation, and anyone can reach out to us through our website. We have a solid place where we can start, and the earlier we start, the more lives will be saved,” she said.
According to her, the planned centre formed part of the Foundation’s broader commitment to tackling healthcare inequality and ensuring that poverty, geography or lack of insurance does not prevent people from accessing cancer screening and treatment.
Taking Screening to Remote Areas
According to Omenukor, mobile mammography units could also provide a cost-effective means of taking cancer screening services to women in remote and rural communities where access to specialised healthcare remains limited.
The Texas campaign, organised in partnership with Methodist Health System, featured an awareness road walk, expert health talks and free clinical screenings.
Omenukor said the initiative was aimed at promoting early detection and prevention of breast cancer while removing financial barriers that often discourage women from seeking essential healthcare.
“Our annual free breast and cervical cancer screenings are part of our commitment to provide accessible and affordable healthcare for women as well as educate the general public on the most common form of cancer affecting women,” she said.
The founder and chief executive officer said the campaign went beyond routine screening, stressing that its ultimate objective was to save lives, raise awareness and create pathways to preventive healthcare for vulnerable women.
Omenukor disclosed that the Foundation was established in 2015 in honour of her late husband, David Omenukor, who died after battling cancer.
She said the experience of losing her husband strengthened her determination to help prevent other families from suffering the consequences of delayed diagnosis.
“This foundation is for women and people in healthcare to get care; it was born in honour of my late husband, if cancer could happen to us, I wonder how other people are passing through it. The foundation was created to encourage people to get screened,” she said.
Since its establishment, the Foundation has expanded its humanitarian and health outreach programmes across Nigeria and internationally, screening thousands of people and supporting individuals facing cancer-related health challenges.
Omenukor warned that cancer remains a serious and potentially fatal disease, particularly when detected at an advanced stage, identifying fear, stigma, financial hardship and inadequate awareness as major barriers to timely care.
“Cancer is an extraordinarily dangerous and ruthless disease; it does not wait, it does not negotiate, and it thrives on silence, fear, and delay.
“When caught late, cancer is a devastating sentence, but it does not have to be; screening is the ultimate weapon because early detection turns a deadly threat into a preventable, treatable condition,” she said.
Health experts participating in the outreach disclosed that the screenings had identified several cases of precancerous cervical conditions and breast lumps requiring immediate medical follow-up.
Early Identification
They stressed that early identification provides an opportunity for prompt intervention before such conditions progress into more aggressive and potentially life-threatening diseases.
One of the beneficiaries said she was able to undergo a mammogram through a foundation grant after her family lost medical insurance following her husband’s job loss.
The woman, who has a strong family history of breast cancer after losing her mother to the disease following a delayed diagnosis, urged women not to allow fear or financial constraints to prevent them from undergoing regular screening.
She encouraged women to prioritise mammograms and Pap smears, stressing that early detection could significantly improve the chances of successful treatment.
Medical experts at the event also advised women to conduct regular breast self-examinations, undergo appropriate clinical screening and ensure that young girls receive Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination as part of efforts to prevent cervical cancer.
They called for stronger government and healthcare-sector interventions to make cancer screening and treatment more affordable and accessible, particularly for underserved communities.
Speakers expressed concern over the continued prevalence of late-stage cancer presentations, attributing the trend partly to stigma, fear and reluctance among women to discuss symptoms or seek medical attention.
Omenukor urged women to seek medical attention whenever they notice unusual changes, lumps or other warning signs.
“The rate at which women have breast cancer and then stay with it just because they are shy to go to a hospital is worrisome,” she said.
“This campaign is not just about awareness; it’s about saving lives. Cancer does not wait, and neither should we. I urge every woman to make regular screenings an absolute priority and pay immediate attention to their health before it is too late.
The Foundation also stressed the importance of male involvement in the fight against breast cancer, urging men to familiarise themselves with warning signs and encouraging women in their families and communities to undergo regular screening.
It noted that breast cancer can also affect men, stressing that men have an important role to play in supporting women to seek timely medical care.
Despite security challenges affecting access to some rural communities in Imo State, the Foundation said it was also providing financial assistance for treatment and essential medical bills to ensure that patients were not abandoned after diagnosis.
The next phase of the international campaign is expected to take place at the Foundation’s Nigerian headquarters in Owerri, Imo State, where it plans to extend free cancer screening services to women facing geographical and financial barriers to healthcare.
Omenukor described the Texas outreach as the beginning of a broader campaign against healthcare inequality.
She said millions of women in marginalised communities still lack access to basic preventive healthcare.
“What we are doing today is just the tip of the iceberg.
“Our goal is not merely to offer a one-time screening, but to build a compassionate, sustainable lifeline that reaches the most neglected corners of the world. We will not rest until quality, life-saving cancer care is accessible, affordable, and equitable for every single woman, everywhere.”
