Rose of Sharon Foundation Offers Free Cancer Screening in Lagos

Rebecca Ejifoma

To commemorate the Cervical Cancer Awareness month, the Rose of Sharon Foundation, a non-profit organisation, offered free cancer screenings to widows and orphans.

Beneficiaries were given free screening for breast, cervical cancer and treatment as well as general health services. This was done in collaboration with Optimum Cancer Care Foundation and CHECK Medical Mission.

Speaking at the screening exercise, the Medical Director, Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, Dr Femi Olaleye, encouraged women, particularly widows, to go for regular screening, as early detection can protect them and save their lives.

While explaining that early detection remains the best approach to preventing cervical and breast cancer, he enjoined them to be wary of unhealthy factors that could lead to these diseases.

Olaleye acknowledged that Rose of Sharon Foundation drove awareness through the screening exercise. According to him, this would help improve knowledge among women and encourage them to imbibe healthy habits.

The list of beneficiaries of the cancer screening and treatment exercise were Oluwatoyin Okubadejo, Fidelia Okoronkwo, and Ubah Roseline among others.

Ubah expressed profound appreciation to the foundation for the intervention, which she said would help her remain in excellent health.

Meanwhile, the breast and cervical screening exercise was followed by a general healthcare programme, which provided free medical care services to widows, their children and orphans.

The programme began with a talk by a psychologist with Gracespring Foundation Lagos, Dr. Ajani Raliat, who harped on the importance of good mental health to the well being of mothers and women in general.

She also had private consultations with women and implored them to develop a healthy habit of speaking up and not stifling their emotions.

The pep talk was followed by the general health screening from Creating Healthy Communities and Kinship (CHECK) Medical Mission Ibadan.

The screening focused on eye care, dental care, physiotherapy services, screening for free surgeries, trauma management and dispensed medication as required.

At the second phase of the screening exercise, Dr Ndudi Bowei, Country Manager of the Rose of Sharon Foundation spoke on the role the foundation plays in empowering and helping vulnerable people like widows and orphans.

“Health is wealth, when we have good health, there is hope for a better and brighter future. So we must take good care of our health and ensure that we take preventive measures to dissuade diseases and sickness.

“It is with the bid to improve the quality of life for widows and orphans and ensure their good health that The Rose of Sharon Foundation has organised this healthcare programme and we are glad that these women are keying into this initiative,” she said.

The Rose of Sharon Foundation, founded by businesswoman and philanthropist Evangelist Folorunso Alakija, is said to have impacted over 4,000 widows in the six geo-political zones of the country.