In our continued effort to reach Nigerians at the grassroots level with the cancer awareness message, Breast Without Spot visited Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) which included Churches and Mosque in Epe, Ebutte-Metta, Victoria Island, Surulere all in Lagos State, Nigeria between January and September 2011 to raise awareness of cancer, educate the congregation about prevention of cancer and the need to avoid late presentation of cancer. Veteran health practitioners such as the first Oncologist/Radiologist in Nigeria- Prof. JTK Duncan and Prof. Ifeoma Okoye, President of BWS spoke at such awareness campaigns. Resident doctors from Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) such as Dr Kehinde Ololade, Dr (Mrs) Ebele Okonkwo, Dr Miftah Oloko, Dr Fatai Bello and Dr Ebenezer Abiloye also volunteered their time to teach cancer prevention in such FBOs.

On the 18th of July, 2011, BWS youth corpers in Lagos State visited Ransome-Kuti Memorial Secondary School in Jibowu area of Lagos State to raise awareness of cancer among the over 2000 pupils of the school. The teachers were also not left out as DVDs showing how to conduct monthly breast-self examination (BSE) was played to them. The youth corpers educated the students and the teachers of the school, both male and female, on the need to eat healthy, stay off tobacco and drugs, exercise and avoid indiscriminate sex as ways of preventing cancer. The techniques of how to conduct monthly breast-self examination was also taught to the pupils and teachers. Overall, it was a successful outreach and educational leaflets on cervical cancer courtesy of GlaxoSmithKlime were distributed to the students and their teachers. BSE DVDs donated by Health Images Ltd was also given as take home packages to the teachers of the school.

Men and women should be concerned about cancer and that was exactly the message BWS corpers in Lagos set to disseminate on the 11th of August, 2011, when they visited a Market and a Mechanic workshop in Surulere, Lagos to raise awareness of cancer. The corpers distributed educational leaflets, presented BWS breast-self examination banner and showed the market women and the artisans how to conduct monthly breast-self examination. They emphasized the need to visit the health facility if any abnormality was detected in the breast(s). The men at the Mechanics’ responded well as the youth corpers showed them how to conduct Breast-self examination on themselves and their wives. They were also educated about prostate cancer and the need to have their routine Digital Rectal Examination conducted by health personnel as a way of detecting prostate cancer early.

The ‘all youths against cancer’ team, visited radio and TV stations such as Raypower FM, Noun FM and Beat FM to speak on prevention and early detection of cancer during the course of the year 2011.

Healthy living, a Television programme by Dove Media which shows on DSTV every Thursday by 10am hosted the ‘all youths against cancer’ team on the 3rd of February. It was a live show where viewers called in to ask questions about cancer and the World Cancer day youth jamboree. It was a life-changing experience as various questions bothering on cancer prevention and its early detection were discussed.