By Eberechi Obinagwam
In the spirit of giving back to society, veteran broadcaster, Mrs Bimbo Oloyede is soliciting for N100m from the public to assist in the support of cancer treatment and research in public hospitals in Lagos state.
The fund raising is in commemoration of the 70th birthday of the veteran broadcaster.
In a press conference on Thursday organised to unveil its plans, Oloyede said having spent almost 50 years performing in public, which has been a blessing to her, she is coming to ask the same public for help in reaching out to cancer patients who may not have fund for treatments; “As we speak now, there are people who have cancer but have neither access to treatment nor any hope of sustainable care.”
According to her, she has spoken to relevant stakeholders, oncologists and health practitioners. She said new cases are being diagnosed at an alarming rate every clinic day in all the public hospitals.
It is with this dying reason in line with her widow’s might that she is convinced to do something significant to make life more comfortable for cancer patients with her N100m fund raising which is in commemoration of her 70th birthday.
Oloyede also disclosed that some members of her family have struggled with this same ailment known as cancer, “sometimes winning and losing, but thankfully, that in those trying times, when we reached out to friends, we received the help we needed to cope with the situations one by one,” she said.
She stated clearly that she will like the benefits to be widespread and accessible, irrespective of financial standing. “She wants to get equipments that every patients can use through the fund raising”
The hundred million naira fund raising is for two purposes; to facilitate vital research and and accessories.
She said from her investigations, some Nigerian hospitals are working with professor Olufunmilayo Olopade, a global renowned hematology oncologist, who is the Associate Dean for Global Health and Walter L. Palmer, Distinguished Service professor in Medicine and Human Genetics at the university of Chicago, and the structures are available to pursue various research programmes. Adding that she has also investigated ways of making diagnosis and treatment days more agreeable for cancer patients and have identified items that will help to achieve that aim.
The goal is to raise N100m on or before March 15th, 2024.
