Ajao Estate Lions Club sensitises on childhood cancer, calls for support

The Ajao Estate Lions Club, District 404B1, has sensitised some parents in Lagos on childhood cancer and the need to protect children against the disease.

Mrs Benedicta Ashibuogwu, the District Governor of Lions Club District 404B1, gave the advice during a public awareness and fund raising programme by Ajao Estate Lions club in Lagos.

She said that members of the club came together to create awareness on how to fight against pediatric cancer because of the rapid increase of the condition.

She said that the cancer awareness was part of the club’s programme for the year, adding that Nigerians were ignorant that children could actually have cancer.

According to her, some Nigerians are not aware of the illness and many children are being lost due to cancer and ignorance of their parents.

“If childhood and adult cancers are detected early, they can be treated and the victim can survive.

“We need to let Nigerians know that childhood cancer is not a death sentence,’’ she said.

The Lions club district governor said: “There are so many challenges confronting parents in the area of funding and cure.

“However, the club has donated two million naira to LUTH to support any child who has cancer with treatment.

“We have different kinds of cancers in Nigeria that affect children and LUTH are specialists in that area and has statistics on affected children.

“As a district, anybody who brings a child with cancer can access the fund. We have also written our international partners for their support for funding to assist Nigerian children against cancer.

“So, many Nigerian parents came from outside Lagos to treat their children who had cancer in LUTH, and it was observed that some parents left their children unannounced and ran away,’’ she added.

Ashibuogwu added that the district was also working to set up a Caregiver Home at the Federal Medical Centre in Yaba.

“We have been given a land and by February 2023, we will commence infrastructure and plan to complete the building within six months through our international partners.

“We are also calling on Nigerians to support the actualisation of this project.

“This is a goal we have to achieve as a club,’’ she said.

Ashibuogwu said the club carried the sensitisation on childhood cancer to churches, mosques and other public places.

“We have about 126 Lions clubs and about 3,180 members and Ajao club is one of the clubs,’’ she said.

She called on Nigerians to support the project saying that the district intends to invest about 200,000 dollars towards the caregiver project with about 80 caregivers for a start.

In her remarks, Mrs Oluwatoyin Odoziaku, President, Ajao Estate Lions Club 404B, 2022/2023, said: “We also donated books to various schools in Ajao Estate. The club also trained members on charity organisations.

“We have involved various community leaders on the need to improve standard of living within our community.

“We took over the executives in July and we began empowerment programmes for 50 youths on self-reliance training,’’ she said.

Odoziaku said that the club also donated 1,000 exercise books, textbooks and other items to Ajao Primary School.

“We also donated 100 school uniforms to the less privileged school children.

“We are told the uniform is sold for pupils for N2, 000, but some parents could not afford it.

“They were excited when we gave them the uniforms,’’ she said.

The president added that 200 eye glasses were also distributed to the elderly in October.

“We source for funds through partnerships, corporate organisations and members donations,’’ she said.