NGO, Keystone Bank Advocate Healthy Lifestyle, Food Discipline for Women

Fidelis David in Akure

 A Non-governmental Organisation raising awareness on cancer, Walk With Us Cancer Foundation and Keystone Bank Limited have called on Nigerian women to adopt healthy lifestyles and scrutinise the food they eat to avoid toxic substances that could lead to breast cancer and other deadly non-communicable diseases.

They stated this at the weekend during a sensitisation campaign in Akure, the Ondo State’s capital, to mark this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to raise awareness of the complex disease, with the theme: “Awareness is key: Educate, Empower, Eradicate.”

The Assistant Programme Manager, Walk With Us Cancer Foundation, Dr. Anyanwu John, said that in Nigeria, cancer is increasingly recognised as a critical health problem, hence, the need for the initiative which featured health walk, breast self-examination techniques, free breast screening and prevention of the disease.

His words: “Most artificial food are carcinogenic in nature, so we advise women not to eat more of artificial food, rather, they should eat fresh food with less fertilizer. They should eat natural organic food that will help to boost their immune system because cancer is just an abnormal growth in the body. And most times, it is caused by what we take into our body. So, we advise people to take food that are healthy and natural.

Speaking on what role the government could play in minimising toxic substances in the country, he said that “not too long ago, we heard the news of National Agency for Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) placing a temporary ban on some food because of what they found out.

“We expect more of these regulatory bodies that are involved in food and drugs to help checkmate and regulate the availability and movement of food in the country to help checkmate this disease. In other words, more of control and awareness because we can’t say government should fund.

“We collaborated with Keystone because the bank is in the forefront of fighting cancer and we target above 50 people for the free screening. The aim of the walk is to keep individuals fit, especially, women and to create awareness about breast cancer and it is free because getting breast cancer screening is very difficult. Even, difficult to locate and it is expensive. Basically, we are starting with Akure, from here, we are moving to Imo and others.”

The Branch Manager, Keystone Bank, Akure, Mrs. Omolara Adeniyi, said that the bank viewed the Pink Month (October) as a month where efforts is being made to educate those concerned about the disease, including early identification and signs and symptoms associated with breast cancer.

“These days, a lot of women eat junks, so, we advise women to eat healthy, drink lots of water, stay away from fizzy drinks, take more of fruits and vegetables, with that, they will be healthy.

“In our bank, we are particular about women, we have a special account for women, which supports women economically and their businesses, so we deemed it necessary as a means of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), giving back to the society to make people aware of this disease and how to eradicate it and as you can see, we are doing free screening.

“We are all aware that breast cancer seems to be rampant in the country, we know lots of grassroot women, when they start feeling pains on their breast, they start feeling that it’s their village people or their enemies or business partner, so, we want them to be aware and well educated about it, know that they have to go to the hospital and get the required treatment,” she added.

Also, the Special Adviser to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Gender, Mrs. Olamide Falana, said that the awareness is in line with the vision of the state, taken the burden of at least sensitizing the people and providing assistance.

She said that Ondo State’s First Lady, Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, being a cancer survivor herself has taken the awareness to all the nooks and crannies of the state so that it could be kicked out of the sunshine state.