The founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Dr Zainab-Shinkafi Bagudu, has highlighted the power of art as a communication tool in the fight against cancer.
She stressed the need to reach men aged 40 and above with information about the risks, funding and treatment options of prostate cancer.
She spoke at the collaborative event, named “Art4Cancer,” partnership between Medicaid Cancer Foundation, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Innovative Medicine and Maigaskiya Visuals.
She said, “Art is a way of expressing different emotions, different ideas and different innovations. One of the biggest problems that we have in cancer advocacy is how to get the message across to the people.
“The important thing is for us to know that cancer is real; it is killing over 20 million people across the world every year, and 80 per cent of these people are from the lower and middle income countries (LMIC), so we have to educate ourselves about it.
“We need to accept preventive measures; we need to adopt a healthy lifestyle; no smoking! no alcohol!! and then exercise regularly. These are some of the things that are important to prevent it.
“It is also important to note that early detection is the key to saving lives,” Shinkafi-Bagudu, the host of the event, emphasised.
The programme manager for MCF, Mr Joshua Ochogwu, explained that “Art4Cancer” sought to break the culture of silence surrounding prostate cancer. He praised the participation of various creative artists, including visual artists, musicians, poets, and photographers, highlighting art’s potential to revive, unite, and bring people together for a common cause.
“It is a passion for us, it is something we believe will create more awareness about cancer. A lot of our art photography depicting cancer have been sold already. We believe that no man should stand and fight cancer alone, we can only stand together to fight it and see the success,” he said.
Mr Ikechukwu Ofuani from J & J Innovative Medicine outlined their partnership’s goal which is to continue educating and raising awareness for men aged 40 and above. He stressed the importance of conveying messages effectively and encouraged men to volunteer for prostate cancer examinations.
The convener of Maigaskiya Visuals, Abdullah-Uthman Maigaskiya, said the exhibition featured works from different artists that depicted the effects of prostate cancer on society. The proceeds from the auctioned artworks were allocated to the campaign against cancer. Maigaskiya recognised the media’s role in creating engagement and drawing attention to prevalent societal issues.
A cancer survivor, Mr Abiodun Adegoroye, advised Nigerians to make mindful choices in their diet and avoid exposure to harmful chemicals. He shared his experience of contracting cancer during house fumigation and urged people to take precautionary measures.
He reiterated the importance of a healthy lifestyle, including avoiding smoking and excessive drinking, to strengthen the immune system.
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