Childhood Cancer Campaign Reaches 2,000 Students In 15 FCT Schools

The Okapi Children Cancer Foundation (OkapiCCF) has reached 2,198 students across 15 schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in what it described as an urgent effort to combat late diagnosis and reduce childhood cancer deaths in Nigeria.

The Foundation disclosed this in a press release issued in Abuja, stating that the awareness drive was carried out between January and March 2026 as part of a broader push to equip children and young people with life-saving information on the early warning signs of childhood cancer.

According to the organisation, the campaign recorded a peak awareness level of 49.40 per cent, a development it said reflected growing understanding among students who are now better positioned to identify possible symptoms and seek help early.

Describing the intervention as a high-impact campaign, OkapiCCF said the programme was designed to address one of the biggest challenges in childhood cancer care in Nigeria — late hospital presentation.

The Foundation noted that students across FCT communities, including Lugbe, Wuye, Jabi, Karu, Mabushi, Dutse, Apo, and Kubwa, participated in the sessions, which focused on practical and preventive education.

It said the students were engaged through interactive classroom discussions on how to recognise early warning signs, the differences between childhood and adult cancers, common myths and stigma surrounding cancer, and the need for prompt medical attention when symptoms are noticed.

OkapiCCF stressed that improving awareness at the school level could play a critical role in saving lives, especially in a country where many childhood cancer cases are discovered too late for timely treatment.

Speaking on the urgency of the initiative, the Founder and Chief Volunteer of OkapiCCF, Kemi Adekanye, said that too many children die because warning signs were either ignored or misunderstood.

“Too many children are lost simply because the signs were not recognised early. This is preventable. By taking awareness directly into schools, we are turning students into first responders within their homes and communities,” Adekanye said.

She said the approach of taking the message directly into schools was deliberate, noting that children and teenagers can become powerful channels of health awareness within their families and neighbourhoods.

The Foundation added that the campaign was implemented across both public and private schools, including Government Secondary Schools and several leading private institutions, to ensure wide, inclusive coverage.

OkapiCCF said the mix of schools was intentional so that awareness would not be limited by class or educational background, but rather reach as many students as possible.

The organisation also used the opportunity to call for stronger institutional backing as it seeks to expand the campaign beyond the Federal Capital Territory.

“As momentum builds, OkapiCCF is calling on government agencies, corporate organisations, and development partners to support the scale-up of this initiative nationwide,” the statement said.

Adekanye said the fight against childhood cancer must not be left to a single organisation or a handful of advocates.

“This is bigger than one organisation. It is a national responsibility,” she added.

The Foundation maintained that awareness remains one of the most powerful tools available in the effort to improve survival outcomes for children living with cancer in Nigeria, especially in underserved communities where knowledge gaps often delay diagnosis.

With more than 2,000 students already reached in just three months, OkapiCCF said it was intensifying efforts to make early detection education a key part of the national response to childhood cancer.

The organisation said its broader mission was to improve childhood cancer outcomes through awareness, advocacy, and treatment support, working closely with schools, hospitals, and communities to encourage early diagnosis and save lives.