By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – THE Attorney General of Edo State and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Samson Osagie Esq, has appealed to governments, spirited individuals, non governmental organisations and others to support the treatment of cancer patients to enable them leave a normal and longer life.

Osagie made this call at an event organised by the BISAM Care Foundation where it visited the Oncology Department in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) to support cancer patients.

The Foundation was formed in memory of Osagie’s late wife, (Mrs.) Olabisi Amenze Osagie JP, (Nee Igbingie) who died of cancer and it was reported that she was still rendering support to other cancer patients from her sick bed.

Osagie said this generous act of his late wife motivated him to start the Foundation in her honour.

He said “The BISAM Care Foundation was established two years ago in memory of my late wife, Mrs. Olabisi Amenze JP, who passed on the 10th of April 2022, on an Easter Sunday. My wife suffered triple negative breast cancer for 11 years.

“She got treatment both home and abroad until God callee her home, I think God knows the best. The inspiration for this Foundation’s activities is born out from the fact that while she was on her sick bed, she was supporting other cancer patients, we eventually discovered this after her passing on. She was in her sick bed sending money to support cancer patients that were taking treatment in the same hospital with her.

“So our focus is to continue to use this Foundation not only to make the memory of my late wife an indelible one, but to impact on those who are going through similar pains that she went through.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on governments, public spirited individuals, organisations, non governmental organisations, corporate bodies to invest more in the treatment of cancer because it doesn’t respect anybody.

Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Prof Darlington Obaseki, thanked Hon. Samson Osagie for doling out 2.5 million to support cancer patients.

Obaseki stressed that, the burden of healthcare is much on them and also called on well meaning Nigerians to join the race that Osagie had started.

In their various remarks, brother and sister of late Mrs Osagie, Emmanuel Igbingie and Mrs. Faith Eboigbe said when their late sister was alive, she was a strong advocate for cancer patients.