From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Wife of the Ondo State governor, Mrs. Betty Akeredolu, has opened up on how she survived breast cancer that she noticed on her chest 25 years ago.
She made the disclosure in Ibadan, Oyo State at a press conference to mark the 25th anniversary of surviving the breast cancer and fourth international breast cancer symposium, entitled: ‘Closing the Data Gap for Precision Cancer Control in Nigeria’, organised by the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN) on Friday.
Akeredolu,who is the BRECAN President, enjoined government and stakeholders to support survivors and patients of breast cancer across the nation, because treatment for it is capital intensive, which has made many victims that are not rich to prefer to die. She noted that institutional support for the victims would help in preventing the needless deaths of the women that are assets to the country.
Her words: “Government should lessen access to treatment for breast cancer by providing facilities and machines at treatment centres because the treatment is huge. When people don’t have money and cannot afford it, they end up in dying untimely.
On how she survived the breast cancer, she said: “I have put it behind me. It started 25 years ago. Although it was traumatic when it started, with the supports of my husband and the children as well as the entire family, I have been able to pull through. My state of mind also helped.
“The positive attitude during difficult times sometimes make someone to pull through . My children have been my anchor! That’s why I summoned courage to be the voice of the breast cancer victims. Before I started, most of the women were under the table and hiding in the wardrobe because they don’t want anybody to know. Because of me, they braced up and they have been going to the hospital.
“That most of the survivors of breast cancer are rich individuals might not be totally wrong because the burden of treating breast cancer is huge. The capital outlay is huge, and that’s why it looks as if the rich survive it.
“We have embarked on some interventions. We want to become one-stop shop where women can get adequate information on cancer, and the hallmark of this celebration is to showcase that women still survive cancer. The government is not supporting and that’s why most of the patients give up and prefer to die. But it shouldn’t be! The government should make breast cancer treatment accessible. Then, those that will resign to fate would drastically reduce.”