Breast Cancer: Kwara First Lady Flags Off Free Screening Campaign
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Mrs Olufolake AbdulRazaq, wife of Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has flagged off a free breast cancer screening campaign for 1,000 women in the State.
Mrs AbdulRazaq disclosed this in Ilorin, the state capital, during the “Pink Kwara Campaign” organised in collaboration with her office, the Ajike People Support Centre, and SHINE Medical Diagnostics.
The campaign was aimed at promoting awareness, encouraging early detection, and expanding access to breast screening.
Mrs AbdulRazaq, who noted that early detection of breast cancer remains critical to getting successful treatment, commended Governor AbdulRazaq for sustained investments in healthcare, including the ongoing Abdulsamad Rabiu Oncology Centre and free screening outreaches across the 16 local government areas of the State.
She said: “Ajike People Support Centre has continued to support cancer patients financially and recently flagged off the 2026 Kwara State Cancer Awareness Programme across the three senatorial districts.
“We recently partnered with BIO Ventures for Global Health to provide highly subsidized cancer medicines for patients under the Kwara Health Insurance Agency.”
The Founder of Ajike People Support Centre, therefore, urged residents and community leaders to take advantage of the screening opportunity for comprehensive care that supports the physical and emotional well-being of patients.
Also speaking, Hajiya Ramat Abdulkadir, Radiologist and Founder of SHINE Medical Diagnostics, said that her passion for breast cancer awareness campaign was due to the loss of her grandmother to breast cancer.
“Growing up, breast cancer was not new to me, but there is a difference between hearing about something and experiencing its impact firsthand.
“I was young, but I remember how she suffered. I remember how fragile she became. Years later, I developed breast pain myself, and I still remember telling my mum and how we visited the doctor together at the hospital.
“I had the opportunity to express my fears, and for once, someone actually listened to me and educated me more about it. That experience shaped me,” she said.
Abdulkadir further said that beyond her personal experience, the bigger reason was that many women still lack the information they need about breast cancer.
“Many are afraid to speak about changes in their breasts. Some will not seek medical advice, while others face financial, geographical, and other barriers that make treatment and care difficult to access.
“That is why our vision is to make care more accessible so that common circumstances do not become a barrier to health,” she said.
Prof. Olayide Agodirin, Guest Speaker of the Event and Consultant Surgeon, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, explained that breast cancer presents in five stages.
“We have Stage 0, Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, and Stage 4.
“Stage 0 is the silent stage. At this stage, cancer is already present in the breast, but the person can not see it, can not feel it, and can not touch it, except through screening.
“It can remain like that in the breast for 3, 5, 6, even 7 years. This is the best time to treat breast cancer. At this stage, it can be completely cured without losing the breast, and it is much easier to treat,” he said.
Agodirin said that at stage 1, cancer has grown a little, like a small grain, while at stage 2, the cancer is a little bigger and beginning to step out of the breast into the surrounding area.
“Stage 3 of breast cancer is when the lump has now taken over the breast. At this stage also, the patient may begin to feel pain. So, at this stage, the woman herself can look and see that something is wrong.
“Finally, stage 4, when we are not really talking about curing anymore, because the cancer is no longer only in the breast. It can be in the bone, brain, lungs, or all over the body,” he said.
Educating women on early self screening, Mrs Juliet Adeshina, Deputy Director of Nursing, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, said that breast screening is finding the disease early, before it causes any problem.
Adeshina further said that the first thing to do is self breast examination, followed by clinical examination and then test investigation like ultrasound and mammogram.
“Self breast examination is looking at and checking your breast by yourself so that you will detect any abnormality on time for prompt treatment.
“Before you start examining your breast, you have to know what your breast normally looks like. You should do it 3 to 5 days after your period. At that time, the breast is soft and not painful.
“For our mothers who no longer see their period, just pick a fixed day every month. For example, 1st of every month, you will examine your breast,” she said.
