Health
Foundation Promotes Community Awareness, Early Diagnosis Of Childhood Cancer
By Justina Auta
Okapi Children Cancer Foundation (OkapiCCF) has embarked on community sensitisation in FCT communities to dispel myths and encourage early medical checks for children.
Ms Kemi Adekanye, Founder of OkapiCCF, said the outreach formed part of activities marking the organisation’s 10th anniversary and the 2026 International Childhood Cancer Day.
The community outreach was conducted on Saturday at Kungabokun community, Kubwa, in Bwari Area Council of the territory.
The event, themed “Demonstrating Impact: From Challenge to Change,” was organised by OkapiCCF in partnership with Silver Cross Hospital Foundation.
Adekanye noted rising childhood cancer cases and said the initiative aimed to improve early detection, increase survival rates, and promote accurate public knowledge.
“We visit remote communities far from the city or urban areas that have possibly never heard of childhood cancer before to enlighten them, encourage them to seek medical intervention, and support them in treatment.
“Treatment for childhood cancer is very expensive. People in communities like this don’t even have access to basic amenities.
“For example, a child going to the hospital and being diagnosed with cancer, the first thing they probably do is run away because there is no adequate funding support.
“If the government can subsidise or even provide full treatment for childhood cancer for indigent patients, it will go a very long way in reducing mortality,” she said.
According to her, the organisation since its establishment has supported more than 250 children with treatment and provided psychosocial support to over 5,000 children across the FCT.
Dr Patrick Eze, Chief Executive Officer of Silver Cross Hospital and Foundation, said the facility supports indigent patients with breast cancer surgeries, chemotherapy, and other cancer treatments.
“We have been able to identify two children with suspected abdominal cancer and women with breast cancer, and the plan is to refer them to the facility where they will be checked free of charge, and the results will determine the next action.
“We are raising awareness on cancer to help us identify early cases like the case we saw today. They didn’t know what it was because the child has a mass in the abdomen that they have been managing.
“A mass in the abdomen should be a red flag, but if you are not cancer-sensitive, you will just think it will go down and all that.
“So we are here to inform and encourage them to seek expert medical care and support them with treatment,” he said.
Eze stressed the need for government and stakeholders to establish functional healthcare centres in rural and hard-to-reach communities.
He said accessible centres would enable indigent residents to receive basic treatment, consultation, therapy, and expert advice promptly.
Eze warned that lack of functional facilities forces residents to rely on inadequate remedies that may worsen illnesses.
He expressed hope that increased awareness would help communities understand that serious illnesses are not always malaria, typhoid, or witchcraft.
Beneficiaries said the programme provided medical essential services and empowered residents, especially women, with livelihood skills and knowledge.
Mrs Hope Sunday, a housewife and mother of four, said the initiative provided a source of livelihood for her anc it would enable her to generate income to support her family and aged parents.
“This training exercise and the starter pack will enable me to produce and sell popcorn, puff-puff, and other snacks, which will generate money for me to support my husband as well as provide some basic needs for my parents.”
Similarly, Miss Jenifer Godwin, 16-year-old student said “I have not been feeling too well and have only been taking paracetamol but have been unable to seek medical help.
“But with this free medication after undergoing some tests, I know that I will feel better, and it has relieved my widowed mother from spending on medication or taking me to the hospital.”
Malam Musa Danjuma commended the organisers and urged government and philanthropists to sustain support for indigent communities.
He described the awareness as enlightening, noting many previously attributed childhood cancer to witchcraft due to ignorance.
Danjuma appealed for similar initiatives to educate hard-to-reach communities on diseases and appropriate treatment options.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that activities marking the day included cancer sensitisation, free health checks, skills acquisition, and distribution of starter packs to beneficiaries. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Funmilayo Adeyemi
