The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the prominent and one of the few cancer treatment centers in Nigeria, Marcelle Ruth Cancer Center & Specialist Hospital, Dr Modupe Elebute-Odunsi has called on Nigerians to see cancer and it’s treatment as a journey and not a hopeless situation.
Dr Elebute-Odunsi made the call yesterday in Lagos during the 50th birthday of Mrs Vivien Emecham Adekoya, Director Walk It Out For Healthy Living Initiative.
She said cancer is a curable disease and should not be referred to as a hopeless situation that the sufferers should just wait for death.
Dr Elebute-Odunsi explained that,” the journey of getting treatment for cancer have improved and the chances of surviving is high compared to 10-15 years ago. Cancer is a curable disease with combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, drugs; in few months the patient should be better. It is a hopeful situation though expensive in this part of the world.”
She added that,”age is the biggest chance of getting cancer. As one get older the chance of the disease is high, and early detection is very important. Family medical background is also a factor in getting cancer. If you have a family member who had cancer in the past, you have a chance of getting it.”
Dr Elebute-Odunsi however said early detection is key to treatment of any form of cancer. She said,” in our facility record of patients, those that checked in early for treatment had greater chance of response and survival in a short time, compared to those who checked in when it’s late. We live in a society where people don’t take their health serious, taking to self mediation or religion ignorance. Many patients after checking-in for treatment will vanish to one religious center claiming to get treatment by faith, but return when the disease is out of hand. Such survival is very slim.”
She commended the organizer of the awareness program, calling on individuals and corporate organizations to create more awareness for periodic screening for cancer, and public sector funding for patients.
The chairman of the event, Dr Toyosi Raheem, Researcher at Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, appreciated the celebrant for the opportunity to bring people together from all walks of life to benefit from such expository health talk.
He said cancer is a global health challenge and awareness should be intensified for more people to be aware of the prevention and how to get treatment.
The celebrant, Mrs Vivien Emecham Adekoya who was so delighted at the celebration said the event was a fulfillment of her desire for awareness campaign on cancer. She said many people are suffering today in medical facilities because of ignorance about cancer, prevention and treatments.
She added that periodic screening and examination is key to treatment considering the few numbers of treatment centers in Nigeria.
Mrs Adekoya called on individuals, corporate organizations, Non Governmental Organizations to embark on such advocacy campaigns to reduce the societal ignorance on cancer and treatment.