By Chioma Obinna
As the rising cost of cancer treatment continues to push many Nigerian families to the brink, The Bricon Foundation yesterday donated breast prostheses and mastectomy bras worth N50 million to cancer survivors in Lagos, with beneficiaries expected to include up to 600 women.
The intervention, unveiled as part of the foundation’s 10th anniversary activities, is aimed at helping women who have undergone mastectomy regain confidence and rebuild their lives after cancer treatment.
Speaking on the intervention at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Co-founder and trustee of the foundation, Abigail Simon-Hart, said cancer care must go beyond treating the disease to supporting patients, families and survivors throughout the journey.
Simon-Hart who is also breast cancer survivor, said: “A patient is more than just a disease. They have work, they have family, they have friends, and they have a life.”
Simon-Hart, who has survived breast cancer for 12 years, said the foundation was established in 2016 to support cancer patients and their families, after discovering that the emotional, social and economic needs of families were often overlooked.
She said the organisation had supported 27 cancer patients with micro-grants to restart small businesses, while 10 beneficiaries had returned to school. It also runs a scholarship programme for children of affected families and a food bank for people unable to afford food.
The foundation, she added, has trained more than 450 doctors and nurses in Nigeria in cancer awareness, end-of-life care and related areas.
“We are all about how we support the patient from diagnosis until after they finish cancer treatment, because there is life after cancer.”
Simon-Hart urged cancer patients to take an active role in their care, stressing the importance of asking questions and understanding their treatment.
“Somebody else’s testimony is not your treatment plan. You have to take ownership; you have to ask questions and know what medications you are being given. “I’m a living testimony that you can beat cancer. It’s 12 years now.”
She said the foundation does not discriminate on the basis of cancer type, age, stage or religion, although breast and cervical cancers remain among the conditions frequently encountered by the organisation.
Simon-Hart called for broader health insurance coverage for cancer patients, alongside stronger investment in prevention, early detection, infrastructure and the health workforce.
“Cancer is expensive. It’s really about insurance. It’s about prevention, because prevention is a lot cheaper than cure.”
She warned that expanding diagnosis without investing in treatment capacity and medical personnel would leave many patients without the care they need.
Also speaking, co-founder and trustee of the foundation, Dr. Niyi Adekeye, said the N50 million donations was intended to mark the foundation’s 10th anniversary with a major intervention for survivors.
“I decided to give bras and prostheses worth N50 million in honour of our 10-year celebration.”
Adekeye said the foundation had supported patients through treatment, screening, counselling, education and economic empowerment, adding that awareness campaigns should continue throughout the year rather than being concentrated in October.
He also urged Nigerians to adopt healthier lifestyles, exercise regularly and undergo routine medical checks, stressing that early detection remains critical.
Speaking, the Lagos State Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, commended the initiative, describing the donation as an important intervention for women who have endured the physical and psychological trauma of cancer treatment.
She said mastectomy can affect a woman’s confidence, femininity and sexuality, making appropriate prostheses and bras more than cosmetic accessories.
“Anything to make them feel good, make them realise that, you know what, you’ve done it and saved your life, you’re a survivor.”
Ogunyemi said Lagos was strengthening prevention and encouraging residents to enrol in health insurance, noting that cancer treatment is expensive and early detection can significantly reduce the burden of care.
She disclosed that the state was also working towards opening another cancer centre to complement existing facilities, while acknowledging shortages of healthcare personnel and pressure on available services.
“It’s cheaper to get checked than to actually not get checked and find out that you have cancer.”
The Chief Medical Director of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, also commended the foundation for its partnership with the hospital.
He said LASUTH was looking at expanding its cancer services, including radiotherapy, to provide more comprehensive care for patients.
The Bricon Foundation plans to extend the prostheses and mastectomy bra distribution to Sagamu before expanding the programme to other parts of Nigeria.
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