Jollification dey among breast cancer patients inside ASI Ukpo Cancer Centre in Calabar as ogbonge NGO wey dey promote prevention of cancer prevention, Pink Africa Foundation, don donate free prosthetic post-mastectomy bras for breast cancer patients on radiotherapy treatment. Di patients na those wey dem don komot one or two of dem breasts. Dis na according to di tori wey di foundation komot give tori people. Na Dr. Nchiewi Ani be di oga for the foundation. See di full tori below.
PINK AFRICA FOUNDATION DONATES PROSTHETIC BRAS TO CANCER PATIENTS IN CALABAR
Pink Africa Foundation, a cancer advocacy charity organization, recently, visited breast cancer patients at ASI Ukpo Cancer Centre in Calabar. During the visit, the President of Pink Africa Foundation, Dr. Nchiewe Ani, announced donation of free prosthetic post-mastectomy bras for breast cancer patients on radiotherapy treatment, who have had one or both breasts removed for the next 2months. Pink Africa Foundation Also has a free surgical scheme for those requiring mastectomy, currently ongoing at the University of Calabar teaching Hospital, the team confirms they still have 7 slots pending.
Dr. Ani, a medical doctor and consultant radiologist, said “the breast is an integral part of every woman. When a woman loses a breast, it is not just the breast she loses, but a part of herself, the anxiety, distress and fear that comes with this loss has made millions of women choose to die than stay alive if the treatment involves the removal of one or both breasts. These prosthetic bras allow the women to fill up the loss of missing breast tissue, avoid back pains usually caused by skewed weight from having only one breast, improve their balance, self-image and enhance their confidence- I tell you nobody will know if you do not tell them, you are wearing a prosthetic bra”.
The Lead Oncologist, Dr. Abiola Adewale, thanked the foundation for the donation. She said “cancer treatment requires specialist care. The ASI Ukpo Cancer Centre was set up to bring renewed hope to cancer patients in the West African region to experience personalized care at an excellent standard. We have had patients from as far as Sokoto, Abuja, Lagos and Sierra Leone.”
During a tour of the facility, the Lead Medical Physicist, Obinna Asogwa, said the centre was a one-stop comprehensive cancer centre, equipped with external beam radiotherapy via an Elekta linear accelerator, brachytherapy machine, chemotherapy suite and surgery, to treat a wide range of cancers.
The Chief Medical Director, Dr Kajogbola Gbenga told us that ASI Ukpo Cancer Centre, AUCC was founded by late Brig. Gen. Anthony Ukpo. The hospital started cancer treatment in 2022. AUCC aims to redefine Oncology treatment in Nigeria and indeed West Africa by enabling precise delivery of radiation therapy, incorporating concurrent precise imaging (sonography, Computerized Tomography and Magnetic resonance imaging during treatment,) and exterminating the long patient waiting time between booking and actual commencement of radiotherapy to at least 24 to 120 hours. Side effects of post Radiotherapy burns are non-existent with the use of our Volumetric Modulated Arc and intensity Modulated radiotherapy. Globally, radiotherapy is known to increase the chances of survival for cancer patients and helps to alleviate the burden of the disease in patients with advanced Cancer- AUCC has made these bold steps to improve cancer care in Nigeria.
