When ‘LGRhythms’ walked against cervical cancer in Ibadan

CERVICAL cancer is a type of cancer that develops in a woman’s cervix, that is, at the entrance to the womb from the vagina. Though a treatable disease, cancer of the cervix could be very dangerous as it often has no symptoms in its early stage. Its most common symptom is unusual vaginal bleeding which can occur after sex and in between periods or after menstruation.

Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) that can be passed on through any type of sexual contact with a man or woman. While there are about 100 varieties of HPV, many of which are harmless, some types can cause abnormal changes to the cells of the cervix and can eventually lead to cervical cancer. Two strains of this PHV virus (HPV 16 and HPV 18) are said to be responsible for 70 per cent of all cases of cervical cancer.

If cervical cancer is detected early enough, it is possible to treat it, using a form of surgical procedure known as hysterectomy. Radiotherapy is also an alternative to surgery for some with early-stage cervical cancer, while in some cases, the two methods are combined. In more advanced cases, cervical cancer is often treated using a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Some of the treatments can have long-lasting effects, including early menopause and infertility.

As harmful as cervical cancer can be, a non-governmental organisation, LGRhythms Foundation, believes that it, as well as other forms of cancer, can be prevented through enlightenment campaigns. LGRhythms, established in 2011, is a social network group powered by love for universal change and progress in the global community. It is a group of friends who place great premium on symbiotic relationship with a strong predilection for charity and community service. As part of its social obligation to the citizenry, it has, through charity walks since 2015, been educating the populace on how all the terminal diseases and their effects can be reduced, curbed, prevented or be eliminated.

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In the last five years, members of the group have been involved in five charity walks in some major cities across the country These are  walks against breast cancer (2015); against lung cancer (2016); against tuberculosis (2017); against inflammation of the liver (2018); and against prostate cancer (2019).

For 2020, LGRhythms did a charity walk against cervical cancer simultaneously in five major cities, viz. Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Abeokuta. In Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the Ibadan Connect Ambassador, Adejola Ogundele, led her team, walking from Dugbe to Jericho Road. The train moved to the Jericho Specialist Hospital where the group made a donation of materials, including toilet rolls, buckets and mopping sticks, bags of detergent, hand gloves and plastic containers of disinfectants.

Making the presentation, Ogundele said it the desire of the group to help the hospital with the materials, noting that similar gesture was ongoing simultaneously in the other four cities. Thanking the group on behalf of the Oyo State Hospital Management Board, Mrs Mary Oladosu, a senior nursing officer at the Jericho Specialist Hospital, said other charity organisations should emulate LGRhytms in the bid to bring succor and relief to patients in the hospital and elsewhere.

From there, the charity train moved to the Sappers’ Welfare Centre at the 42 Engineering Brigade, Letmauck Cantonment, Eleyele where a lecture was held as part of the activities for the 2020 Walk Against Cervical Cancer.

Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune, president of LGRythms, Dr Titus Ale, said: “Charity Walk is part of our social responsibility to the society to raise awareness against the terminal diseases plaguing the growth and standard of the common man, which invariably deny the society the joy and happiness of living together in peace and harmony. This year’s enlightenment campaign was planned and organised with a peaceful arrangement with necessary permission from the security operatives and medical consultation from the institutions in all the immediate surroundings of each city.”

Speaking on what has kept the group over the years, Ale said the friendship formed nine years ago has been kept going, showing focus, aims and objectives bordering on humanitarian services. “Five years ago, we thought of what else we could add to the LGRhytms flavor, we thought of the need to carry along other institutions and stakeholders, including the media and the security agencies,” he said.

On funding, the LGRhytms president said the 2020 edition of the charity walk was almost marred by lack of money. “We have 2,000 members nationwide. We have been financing our activities over the years from our personal purse by levying each member to pay N10,000 annually. Some of us have not been paying the annual due, but we are not deterred in our determination to continue to help humanity.”

“We have been seeking collaboration with the government but they have not been showing any commitment. We don’t want to be a burden to the government, but we have tried to reach out to them to let them know that we are partners in progress. However, they have not shown any interest. Here in Oyo State, we approached the then Commissioner for Health in 2017 but till now, we have not heard anything from him. We have tried to reach out to the wife of Governor Seyi Makinde, but it has been pretty difficult to get across to her.

“However, we are not deterred; we are more than determined to reach our goals. We at LGRhytms appreciate some set of people who have been dedicating their time, money and even their personality and presence to this cause. They have, indeed, dedicated themselves to the success of the programme lined up for the 2020 Charity Walk Against Cervical Cancer.”

 

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE