LASUTH CMD, Lions District Governor call for support for Cancer Patients
From Right: LASUTH Chief Medical Director (CMD) Prof Adewale Oke, taking possession of items donated by Lions International, District 404B2 Nigeria, from the District Governor, Lions (Chief) Asiwaju Ayobola Samuel during the 2018 Cancer Awareness programme organized by the Lions Club at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) on Saturday, June 9, 2018, while other Lions watch with great excitement.
The Chief Medical Director, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Professor, Adewale Oke, has called on well meaning individuals in the society to look inward and support the needy among them especially those with cancers and other health challenges.
Prof. Oke made the call at the Paediatric Cancer awareness programme organized by the Lions Club International, District 404 B2 Nigeria at the weekend at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
“For Nigerians, we want everybody who can afford it to deep their hands into their pockets and support those in need in their midst because a lot of Nigerians with cancer disease and other health challenges are suffering and they are seriously in need of help,” CMD said.
In his remarks, the District Governor, Lions Club International District 404 B2 Nigeria, 2017/2018 service year, Lions (Chief) Asiwaju Ayobola Samuel, said that Paediatric Cancer Awareness Programme was part of the Club’s humanitarian services of impacting its communities.
He called on Nigerians to imbibe the philanthropists’ culture by being their brothers’ keeper and making giving and service to their communities their life-style just as he called on the fortunate ones to support the unfortunate ones, the needy and the vulnerable among them.
Reacting to the donation of some drugs and medical equipments to LASUTH by the Lions Club, the CMD said the donation will effectively help in the management of patient not only children with cancer even adult as well, saying cancers affect both adult and children and commended the Lions Club for their good gesture.
Explaining rationales behind the Paediatric Cancer Awareness programme, Chairperson, Paediatric Cancer Project, Lions International, Caroline Adeniran, said she was moved when she saw some cases of children with cancer.
“I was moved by compassion when I saw what the children are going through and some parents don’t know that their children have cancer because if anything happen to them they will say someone kill their children, not knowing it is cancer that kill their children. Not only adult have cancer, children also have cancer
“My aim is to help the children and to make parents know and the need for them be aware of the early signs, preventing and the treatment.
“As the CMD said cancer is hereditary – according to what I heard, they say we should reduce acid. If you don’t want to have cancer, reduce acid and reduce stress because it has been established that some of these things can cause cancer as well so that is why I say it is better we give the awareness to the people we know that in future they will be able to know how to manage the ailment, she said.
In her lecture, on cancer awareness, diagnosis, prevention and treatment, the Guest Lecturer, Dr Popoola Abiodun, Acting Head of Department, Radiology/Oncology, LASUTH who was represented by Dr. Anthonia Sowunmi, Clinical and Radiation Oncologist, LASUTH described Cancer as killing and ravaging, adding that about 750,000 children died annually globally as a result of Paediatric Cancer, just as she called on parents especially mothers to be sensitive about the health of their children.
Though she said the causes of cancers are yet unknown, she charged mothers to always take their children to the hospital whenever they observe signs of abnormalities in their children, stating that early detection and treatment is key to cure.
“Cancer is killing, it is ravaging. According to World Health Organisation, 750,000 cases of Paediatric Cancer are reported annually globally and that’s a lot for children. So that is why basically we are here to educate and create awareness on how to prevent childhood cancer. At least when the people know the basic child health signs they will be able to prevent it and come for early treatment because the truth is that the key to cure is early diagnosis and lot of childhood when detected very early is treatable and curable.” She advised.
She said Paediatric Cancers are the types of cancers that occur most often in children and are different from those seen in adults, adding that the most common cancers of children are: Leukemia, Brain and spinal cord tumors, Neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, Lymphoma (including both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin), Rhabdomyosarcoma, Retinoblastoma and Bone cancer (including osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma).
