• Inaugurates Abuja BRECAN Office, Excos
The wife of the governor of Ondo State and founder of the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has said it is fulfilling that she is no longer a lone voice in the wilderness with regard to the fight against breast cancer in the country.
The governor’s wife said this, Saturday, at the dinner and investiture of the executives of the Abuja chapter of BRECAN at the British Nigerian Academy, Prince and Princess Estate, Buboyi, Abuja, FCT, as part of the organization’s 3rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) and re-launch of the chapter.
“I feel fulfilled that I am no longer the lone voice in the wilderness when it comes to the cancer fight in the country.” BRECAN now has six chairpersons, some of whom are cancer survivors like me. We now have six active chapters with members scattered all over the country. It is unlike the way it was 25 years ago, when people, including survivors, were not ready to identify with the cancer campaign, except for my husband, whom I like to describe as the “strong pillar of BRECAN.”
The First Lady, who said having a vibrant chapter in the Federal Capital Territory is strategic to getting the attention of policymakers in favor of cancer care through advocacy, expressed joy over the reinvention of the chapter.
“My feeling about this re-launch is nostalgic. We had gathered in 2008 for the first time to launch the Abuja chapter of BRECAN as a calculated attempt to attract policymakers’ attention in favor of cancer care, but it had setbacks afterward. Today I feel like a mother whose sick child has recovered, and you can imagine how happy I am. I have no doubt in my mind that the second coming will yield great successes.”
Mrs. Akeredolu emphasized the need for BRECAN to continue to extend the frontiers of the cancer fight by improving awareness creation and knocking on the doors of policymakers in the country.
“We have to continue to improve on awareness.” It is very important. And we have to keep knocking on the doors of policymakers in the country. “With the addition of cervical and prostate cancer, BRECAN has become a one-stop shop for the cancer fight.”
The National President, BRECAN; Amb. Tolu Taiwo inaugurates the executives of the Abuja Chapter.
Earlier, the National President of the association, Ambassador Tolu Taiwo, said the greatness of BRECAN does not reflect only in the number of chapters and members but in the number of lives, it has impacted in the last 25 years.
In her words: “It is a wonderful thing to relish the growth of an organization, not just in the number of chapters and members, but in the number of people that have been impacted in the last 25 years.”
While lauding the founder for using her experience and wealth of knowledge to build BRECAN into a formidable institution, the chairperson of the new, Chief Nkem Olusola-Oke, expressed an unyielding commitment to the fight against the variants of cancer within the scope of BRECAN.
Meanwhile, the Abuja office of BRECAN was earlier inaugurated by the founder, Mrs. Akeredolu, at Suite 109, First Floor, Obum Place, Plot 16, Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja, FCT.
The program was attended by Chief D.D. Dodo, SAN (as Chairman of the event), the APC Chieftain, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, former Attorney General of Ondo State, Dr. Remi Olatubora, SAN, government functionaries, executives, and members of BRECAN from the various parts of the country, among other persons.
Participants at the dinner and investiture of the newly elected executives of BRECAN, Abuja Chapter
Story Credit: Debo Akinbami
