By Ebunoluwa Sessou

As part of efforts to support cancer patients in the country, a non-governmental organization, Foundation for Cancer Care has launched a fundraising platform to address procurement of cancer screening buses that would detect cancer at the early stage within Lagos as well as sponsor payment for radiation treatment for patients.

Speaking at the fundraising gala event, the Board Chairman of the Foundation for Cancer Care, Prof. Chumy Nwogu who is also the Chief Executive Officer, of the thoracic surgical oncologist & cancer epidemiologist said, the foundation has concluded plans to sponsor payment for radiation treatment of 10 people who are who are financially incapacitated.

Nwogu assured that, with the plans in motion, the foundation’s support system would also address chemotherapy treatment, surgery among others.

“We hope to extend our scope beyond Lagos state because there are more people who are in dire need of cancer treatment. We are hoping to go to Port Harcourt, Abuja, as well as the North. We need to cover the entire country.

“As time goes on we hope that our foundation can raise more funds for patients because cancer treatment can be very expensive.”

Talking about the activities of the foundation, the Programs Manager, Tolulope Oladipupo, revealed that, since inception, the foundation has enjoyed the support of the Board of Trustees who have provided insightful advice hence the success recorded so far.

“Since we started, we have been able to provide support to 22 cancer patients who have benefitted in the radiotherapy treatment. We have also reached out to 1,500 women on breast and cervical cancer screening and education and awareness to more than 12,000 people. So, looking at where we started and where we are now, we have come a long way.

“The future of the foundation is to ensure its relevance in addressing cancer related issues in Nigeria, West Africa as well as globally. To ensure that people in the community regardless of the locality have access to treatment and for more patients to get financial support for treatment in radiotherapy and by extension other forms of treatment including chemotherapy and surgeries”, she said.

She however explained that funding has been a major challenge especially for most non-profit, in the cancer care space and in the service to humanity.

Representative of Providus Bank, Seun Ogunsanya, said, “The collaboration was premised on the belief that humanity is key. “The foundation is doing a great job in helping people to be aware of cancer as well as detect it at the early stage.

“For us at Providus bank, it is not about transaction but our belief for humanity and supporting lives. This ultimately translates to our customer’s confidence in us. We believe in the survival of our customers. For us, promoting and supporting this course would impart lives,, he said.