LAGOS — What began three decades ago as one woman’s personal mission to ensure no woman in Nigeria faces breast cancer alone has grown into a nationwide movement that has touched millions of lives.

Care, Organisation, Public Enlightenment (C.O.P.E) is marking its 30th anniversary this October, celebrating three decades of tireless advocacy, early detection, and survivor support in the fight against breast cancer.

Founded in 1995 by Mrs. Ebunola Anozie, after losing both parents to cancer and surviving her own breast cancer scare, C.O.P.E was born from a deeply personal conviction. What started as a small initiative to provide credible information and compassionate care has evolved into one of Nigeria’s most trusted voices in breast health advocacy.

Over the past 30 years, C.O.P.E has reached more than 7.5 million Nigerians through awareness and education campaigns, conducted over 100,000 free screenings, provided counselling to more than 1,400 women, and supported over 350 survivors with post-treatment care, therapy, and empowerment programmes.

Reflecting on the milestone, Mrs. Anozie said C.O.P.E’s impact has been driven by compassion and consistency.

“C.O.P.E has thrived because of our commitment to being compassionate and consistent. We’ve made it our motto to always show up. It doesn’t matter whether we have a lot or a little, because we know even the smallest act of care can change the course of a woman’s life,” she said.

She expressed gratitude to the organisation’s long-term partners, whose unwavering support has sustained its mission.

“We’re deeply grateful to all our partners — Polaris Bank, Variant Advisory, Aradel Holdings, Engr. Afolabi Oladele, Access Bank, STL Trustees, CreditDirect, SKLD Integrated Services Ltd., Idachaba Family, Ginger Soul Lifestyle, Pfizer, Hard Rock Cafe, and General Electric — for standing with us over the years. Together, we’ve positively impacted the lives of young girls and women across Nigeria.”

Despite remarkable progress, Mrs. Anozie noted that challenges persist in ensuring greater awareness, access, and survivor support. She revealed that C.O.P.E’s current facility can no longer accommodate the growing number of women seeking help, prompting plans for a permanent breast cancer centre that will provide screening, counselling, education, research, and survivor services under one roof.

“We’ve come this far through hard work and faith, guided by the belief that no woman should face breast cancer alone. But there’s still more work to be done. Our goal is to reach ten million women by 2030 through expanded screenings, community education, and partnerships that make early detection a national priority,” she added.

The 30th Anniversary Celebration will hold on November 13, 2025, at the Marriott Hotel, Lagos, with support from Polaris Bank. The event will bring together survivors, volunteers, donors, and well-wishers to honour three decades of impact and chart a new path forward.

The milestone gathering will also serve as a rallying point for stronger collaboration among government agencies, private sector partners, and the public, reaffirming C.O.P.E’s enduring mission — to reduce breast cancer mortality and improve the quality of life for survivors across Nigeria.