Ogunbiyi
took the stance at a free breast cancer screening programme organized the by
Rotary Club of Ikoyi at Obalende LCDA Hall, Lagos State on Friday, December 1,
2023.
Responding
to a question on how much of assistance the government of Nigeria has offered
to the foundation, she answered that there has not been assistance from
government. “Unfortunately government has not been helpful, an organisation
that has been making global impact on cancer deserves support with amenities,
funds and equipment, the foundation has not been able to receive any support
from Nigerian government.”
Speaking on
what the foundation has achieved since its establishment, Ogunbiyi said that the
foundation has very strong base and have educated more than 10,000 Nigerians on
the effect of breast cancer and have referred cancer patients to places where they
can get help; they have also raised funds for cancer patients with pathetic
conditions.
Ogunbiyi
acknowledged the positive response by those who have benefitted from the
gesture of the foundation. “They are referring us, recommending us to the
global space, because they are monitoring us and they are seeing our impact on
the cancer survivors we have projected to the global watch and they are seeing
help.”
She said the
foundation also focuses of cervical and prostate cancer awareness campaign. “We
cover cervical cancer, prostate cancer, not only breast; these are the three
aspects of cancer we focus on. We have free prostate cancer screening in July
in partnership with Lagos State hospital in Victoria Island.
On how the
foundation raises funds for all they do, she disclosed that the organisation is
sponsored by the Founder himself, Dr. Olayinka
Oduwaiye and Alber Valiya Esq. the chairman in the United States and Dr, Banji
Oyebami, the Chairman in Nigeria and friends and partners in the US and UK.
On predominance
of cancer in Nigeria when compared with other climes, she said “In Nigeria I feel
there is negligence on the part of the people, there has not been adequate
cancer information. You know, in a community where you want to sensitise them
towards the effects of cancer, they don’t really know what empowerment entails,
they want to be bought, they want us to bribe them before we can get them
seated, getting people together to pay attention to what we have to say has
always been a challenge.
“So I think
the nation should adopt adequate breast cancer information so that people can
be familiar with the negative impact and the importance of early detection. They
should know the importance of getting tested early because if the cancer is
found early, it can be treated,” Ogunbiyi stated.
Delving a little into the establishment of the foundation she disclosed that Dr Olayinka Oduwaiye established the Sarah Ayoka Oduwaiye Foundation in memory of his mother, the late Sarah Ayoka Oduwaiye who died as a result of breast cancer, and ever since the foundation has been making great impact across the world, not just in Nigeria and Africa.
According to
Dr Ogunbiyi, the foundation has been making great impact across Nigeria, even
beyond. “We make impact in Uganda, Sierra Leone, United kingdom, and United
States of America. We have been creating breast cancer awareness. We have been
partnering with organisations with like minds, just as we are partnering with
Rotary Club of Ikoyi, government agencies on health sector, rural communities,
traditional rulers, and individuals.”
Ogunbiyi disclosed
that the foundation was registered in Nigeria, with operations in the United
Kingdom and the United States of America. “And we have our branches in Nigeria
in the six geopolitical zones, we have our volunteers. Here in Nigeria we are
located in Lagos and Abeokuta, we do medical outreach in Abeokuta at least
twice in a year and we make sure we partner with health centers in the rural
communities.”
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