COJAC: A Worthy Cause Against Cancer

Tomorrow, 4 February, is World Cancer Day. It is a day set aside by the United Nations to create awareness about this chronic disease that kills millions yearly worldwide. Nigerian journalists have keyed into this awareness campaign through the inauguration of a specialised media advocacy group tagged Coalition of Journalists Against Cancer, COJAC.

The National Cancer Prevention Programme, NCPP, an initiative of mass medical mission, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, and the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, will coordinate the inauguration of COJAC and lead a national campaign to raise funds for cancer prevention in Nigeria. The campaign will be carried out throughout this month of February.

This is a worthwhile initiative that deserves the support of well meaning Nigerians considering the scourge the cancer disease has become globally.

Many prominent Nigerians like the wife of Edo State Governor, Clara Oshiomhole, Maryam Babangida, Mrs. Alaere Alaibe, etc. were killed by cancer which accounted for 13 per cent of all human deaths worldwide or 7.9 million people in 2007 alone. It is estimated that the number will almost double as 500,000 new cases are diagnosed annually in Nigeria, according to the World Health Organisation, WHO World Cancer Report.

Although the disease could be cured if detected early, it has continued to ravage the victims because of lack of awareness about its causes and what could be done to prevent it.

According to experts, some risk factors increase the possibility that a person could contract the disease. These factors include a person’s life-style, i.e. smoking of cigarette and the diet a person takes, stress and lack of physical activity. Heredity, environmental pollution, infections, etc., also cause abnormalities in the genetic material of cells, thus causing cancer.

Creating awareness about the disease would enable many patients go to hospitals for early treatment before the disease takes its toll on the patients, to the extent that cure it becomes a terminal disease. Experts say foods that contain fibre are potential cancer fighting agents. Banana, cabbage, carrots, pineapple, etc. are said to fall within this category. Although these fruits are expensive in the city, they are highly affordable in the village. No matter the cost, we consume them to safe guard our health.

We should keep everything that causes cancer at an arms length, exercise regularly and try as much as possible to avoid stress. We should stop courting cancer through our life-style or doing things we believe is ‘hip’ because we want to join the bandwagon. We should eschew any activity that is detrimental to our health. Smoking is one of the leading causes of lung cancer but most youths ignore the danger because they want to ‘show off’. They pay dearly for their indiscretion later in life.

Other professional groups should join this lofty campaign to save the lives of Nigerians who are increasingly falling victims of this dreaded disease.