Access Bank Plc, through its Access Women Network (AWN), launched a free breast cancer screening and awareness initiative for 300 women.
The initiative, part of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, aligns with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, emphasising the importance of early detection and proactive healthcare support in communities.
Speaking at the Access Bank ‘Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening’ held in Lagos, the executive director of Corporate and Investment Banking at Access Bank, Iyabo Okusanya reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to creating a positive social impact in communities where it operates.
She stated that “if you make money from a community, you have a social responsibility to give to that community, to ensure that that community is sustained, because it is only through the sustenance of that community that your own business can become sustainable.”
She added that AWN through this awareness campaign aims to facilitate early breast cancer detection by providing free screenings; breast scans for women under 40 and mammograms for those over 40.
Okusanya stressed the bank’s dedication to ensuring that any woman diagnosed during the screening process receives full support, sharing that “what we have committed to do is, take on that process and ensure we see it to the end. We do not wish for such, but if per adventurer is anyone here is diagnosed to have breast cancer, we at Access Bank will provide all the required support to ensure that she comes out a survivor.”
Group head of Commercial Banking at Access Bank, Vashti Samdi, emphasised the need for healthcare support for women beyond the market, saying “there is a likelihood that one out of every eight women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. We hope that we can save lives by early detection.”
Medical professionals were on ground to educate market women on breast cancer risk factors such as family medical history, age, lifestyle among others. They demonstrated self-examination techniques and reiterated the importance of regular medical check-ups.
Access Bank will sponsor comprehensive screenings at partner healthcare facilities through starting from November 1 to November 30, 2024, to accommodate the target of 300 beneficiaries, ensuring a thorough follow-up process.
