NigerianNGO Exclusive by Akinsola Olamide : WELTI and CEAFON Organize Open Data Day For Cancer Awareness

Women Economic and Leadership Transformation Initiative (WELTI) in conjunction with Cancer Education and Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CEAFON) organized the Open Data Day with a focus onCancer, Data and Female health. The event held at Girls Senior Academy, Lagos Island on the 6th of March, 2019 and was organized to create awareness and inform students about cancer.

The event commenced by 9:00am with an opening address given by Ifeoma Okonji,the Executive Director of WELTI.In the address,she welcomed the students to the event and gave a brief introduction about cancer. She engaged them to assess their understanding of cancer such as the different types of cancer and those more likely to be affected by it.After the opening address, Ifeoma Okonjiyielded the floor to the facilitators.  There were three facilitators in all; Dr Adegboyega and Dr Adedeji from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and Miss Yetunde from CEAFON.

Questionnaires were distributed to the students to fill out twice; before and after the facilitators gave their talks. After the students were done filling the questionnaire the first time, Dr Adedeji came up and gave a talk on cancer which covered an introduction to the subject of cancer, common causes of cancer, common symptoms of cancer, statistics from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, associated risk factors of cancer and cancer advocacy.

Dr Adegboyega then came up to deliver her lecture which focused on demystifying Cancer. She addressed and corrected erroneous beliefs and opinions regarding cancer, such as whether cancer could be contacted through physical contact with affected persons. She spoke about the types of cancer that are peculiar to women which are majorly breast and cervical cancer. In addition, she spoke about the importance of being informed, the role of early detection in improving the chances of survival and the role of performing self-breast examinations.

The importance of abstinence in the prevention of cervical cancer was emphasized. According to her, cervical cancer can be caused by the Human papillomavirus (HPV) and can prevented if abstinence is practiced. Dr Adegboyega concluded her talk by encouraging the students to be self-aware, to lead healthy lifestyles and to also share what they had learnt with their peers.
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After both sessions, the students were asked to fill the previous questionnaires to determine how enlightening the sessions were. Then the floor was open for questions from the students. Questions asked include whether cancer is terminal, genetic causes of cancer, pathogenic causes of cancer and so on.
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The question and answer session was brought to an end and a representative of WELTI, MrTitilade came up to give the closing remarks and vote of thanks appreciating every organization that made the event possible. Refreshments were distributed and the students dispersed to their various classes.

The event was certainly impactful as these girls received vital information that will certainly set them on healthier and more wholesome paths in life.