The wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, on Saturday admonished women to carry out a regular medical examination on their breasts as a way of reducing breast-cancer related deaths in the country.
She gave the advice in Yenagoa during an awareness walk christened ‘Jog for Life’ organised by the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN) as part of activities for the inauguration of the Bayelsa State chapter of the body.
Mrs Akeredolu, who is the founder of BRECAN, said the association had embarked on an awareness campaign across states in the nation, stressing that as a victim of breast cancer disease she is aware that early detection of the infection could prevent mortality rate.
She said, “Breast cancer is not as deadly as women think, but early detection and prompt medical attention can cure the disease, thereby reducing the rate of mortality.
“I survived breast cancer, awareness leads to action and we don’t want awareness to die. Breast cancer is curable if you do the needful.
“If you notice any unusual changes such as lumps, discharge from nipples whether watery or bloody. If you are not breastfeeding, there is no reason there should be discharge from the nipples, these signs are a red flag that something is wrong, go to the hospital for a medical check-up.
The Ondo First Lady added that women were increasingly surviving breast cancer in Bayelsa.
In her remarks, the wife of Bayelsa State Governor, Gloria Diri, who also participated in the campaign, said she would help to advance the sensitization on breast cancer by ensuring that women in the communities were enlightened on the preventive measures to halt deaths caused by the disease.