From Musa Muhammad Kutama, Calabar
In a major push to promote early awareness and education on breast cancer, the Pink Africa Foundation, in partnership with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River State Council, has launched a school-focused cancer awareness campaign in Calabar.
The outreach, held at Government Secondary School, Akim, on Wednesday, is aimed at educating students on body awareness and breast self-examination while equipping them to serve as grassroots awareness agents in their homes and communities.
Speaking on the partnership, the Chairman of the NUJ Cross River State Council, Comrade Archibong Bassey, commended the foundation for its consistent advocacy efforts over the years.
He stressed the importance of removing the stigma and fear associated with body inspection and awareness.
“NUJ Cross River State is pleased to be associated with the Pink Africa Foundation. We are really excited to be doing this awareness campaign with the foundation this year,” Bassey said.
“It is part of your body, so you should not be ashamed or afraid to look at it because when you look at it, you will be able to discover the changes that are coming up,” he added.
The Executive Director of Pink Africa Foundation, Glory Egrinya, said the organisation had sustained its advocacy efforts for eight consecutive years across eight African countries.
She explained that targeting teenagers was a deliberate strategy aimed at addressing the challenge of late presentation among cancer patients.
“We are aiming to catch them young. When the students are well informed, they will be able to make good decisions for their future, and we also want them to become awareness agents,” Egrinya said.
“Breast cancer is prevalent now. So many women are having it and they are not aware. We often have late presentation because the awareness is not enough,” she added.
Beyond health education, the Pink Africa Foundation donated exercise books and other writing materials, as well as tuition support, to selected students from less-privileged backgrounds to support their education.
The Principal of Government Secondary School, Akim, Mrs Magdalene Asam, expressed appreciation for the intervention, noting that it would provide relief to families facing financial challenges.
“Most of them are actually from less-privileged homes, and the books and items you have given will go a long way to assist them. If we had more organisations doing this, our society would be much better,” Asam said.
The President of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Cross River State Branch, Dr Funke Ebughe, also stressed the importance of early health education.
She said breast cancer remains a major health concern among women in Nigeria and urged young people to understand their bodies and speak up about unusual changes.
“We think that the students need to know their bodies early before we have cases presenting late,” Ebughe said.
“We need them to be able to speak up because we have noticed that most teenagers hide things occurring in their bodies. When you speak to one child, the goal is to reach a hundred people as they share the information,” she added.
She also commended the Cross River State Government for its collaboration in promoting cancer awareness across the state.
The school sensitisation programme serves as a precursor to the Go Pink Africa 2026 event scheduled for October 24.
The event is expected to feature free breast cancer screening, post-treatment cancer screening, cervical cancer screening and free eye-care services.
Egrinya urged residents to participate in the event and support efforts to promote early detection and timely treatment.
“We are going to be painting the streets of Calabar pink. On October 24, come out en masse. Let’s sensitise, let’s create awareness, and let me remind everyone that early detection and prompt treatment save lives,” she said.