By Chijioke Nwankpa

The Founder of Engraced life Foundation and a Stage four Cancer Survivor, Ethel Olomu has urged Women in Rivers state to be breast-Health aware, saying that breast cancer is a sickness that knows no class and respects no one.

She made the call shortly after an 8km “Pink Naija walk” to commemorate World Breast Cancer awareness month organised by the foundation in Collaboration with Rivers state ministry of health and other partners in Port Harcourt at the Weekend.

“Breast cancer is not a respecter of anybody, it doesn’t have class, it doesn’t say I will only come to a rich Man’s house or the Poor Man’s house. It’s a sickness that knows no Class and that is why we are saying to everybody, Be Breast Health aware. And why we are carrying out this education.”

“Last Year during a Similar program to Commemorate World Breast Cancer month, a father walked in with his 10 year old daughter who unfortunately had full-blown cancer already. This made us realise that children too need to be breast health aware and so we are not just ending our awareness creation here, we are going to secondary schools and several communities. We just came back from Yobe where we had an outreach with more than five thousand persons, this event is currently happening in Lagos, and within the month we are going to Ekiti and Uyo. Before we end the breast cancer campaign”

“Whenever we go out for out reach in Communities and see people with advanced breast cancer, we ask why they allow it deteriorate. They often say it is because they are hungry and do not have money for hospital consultation. This is why we added B Conference which is a program where we train women on skills acquisition to empower them so they can afford regular checkup that can facilitate early detection.”

President of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Dr Alhassan Umar who also spoke at the event said “Cancer is a menace that is ravaging out polity today. Cancer does not recognize age or sex and our message here is to let people know that cancer is no longer a death sentence like we use to know. We are here to inform the Public that there are people surviving and beating cancer, there are treatment options for Cancer and Cancer patients. It is no longer a case of unknown Soldier”

The Cancer Society Boss who spoke through Mr Dozie Akwarandu further said “For those who are not yet diagnosed, we want to let them know that there are things they can modify in their lives that can help them live without cancer. Things like lifestyle, feeding, alcohol intake, smoking and others.”

Founder of Eritage Africa Tamunotonye Pamela expressed appreciation for participants and sponsors who supported the out reach and went on the walk and encouraged them to continue supporting the Initiative and living healthy.