The fight against breast cancer in Cross River State has taken a new direction as health advocates and journalists moved into schools to equip young people with knowledge that could help promote early detection and break the silence surrounding the disease.
The initiative, led by the Pink Africa Foundation in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River State Council, was launched at Government Secondary School, Akim, Calabar, on Wednesday.
Rather than limiting cancer awareness to adults and patients, the organisers are targeting teenagers with information about body awareness and self breast examination, with the expectation that the students will take the message beyond the classroom to their families and communities.
Chairman of the NUJ Cross River State Council, Comrade Archibong Bassey, said the partnership was aimed at strengthening public understanding of the importance of paying attention to changes in the body.
Bassey commended the Pink Africa Foundation for sustaining its awareness efforts and encouraged young people to overcome the fear and embarrassment often associated with examining their bodies.
"It is part of your body, so you should not be ashamed, you should not be afraid to look at it because when you look at it, you'll be able to discover the changes that are coming up," he said.
Executive Director of the Pink Africa Foundation, Glory Egrinya, said the decision to take the campaign to schools was deliberate, particularly against the backdrop of late presentation of cancer cases.
According to her, the foundation has sustained its advocacy activities for eight consecutive years across eight African countries, with the current campaign designed to ensure that young people acquire the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about their health.
"We are aiming to catch them young. When the students are well informed, they'll be able to make good decisions for their future, and also we want them to become awareness agents," Egrinya said.
She added that inadequate awareness remains one of the challenges contributing to late presentation among women living with breast cancer.
The programme also extended beyond health education, as the foundation distributed exercise books and other learning materials and provided tuition support to some students from less privileged homes.
The intervention was welcomed by the school authorities, with the Principal of Government Secondary School, Akim, Mrs. Magdalene Asam, saying the support would ease some of the educational burdens faced by families.
"Most of them actually are from less privileged homes, and the books and items you've given will go a long way to assist them. If we had more organizations doing this, our society would be much better," Asam said.
President of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria, Cross River State Branch, Dr. Funke Ebughe, said educating young people about their bodies could help encourage timely attention to unusual changes and reduce the tendency among teenagers to conceal health concerns.
"We think that the students need to know their bodies early before we have cases presenting late," Ebughe said.
She urged the students to speak up when they notice unusual changes, noting that information shared with one student could eventually reach several other people through their families and communities.
Ebughe also acknowledged the role of the Cross River State Government in supporting cancer awareness initiatives across the state.
The school campaign is part of activities leading up to the Go Pink Africa 2026 programme scheduled for October 24 in Calabar.
The event is expected to provide free breast cancer screening, post treatment cancer screening, cervical cancer screening and eye care services to members of the public.
Egrinya called on residents to participate in the event and help spread the message of cancer awareness across the city.
"We are going to be painting the streets of Calabar pink. On October 24th, come out en masse. Let's sensitise, let's create awareness, and let me remind everyone that early detection and prompt treatment saves lives," she said.
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