Sylvester Idowu in Warri
More than 1,000 contributors converged on Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, Port Harcourt, on Saturday, October 10, for PinkNaija Walk 2026, in a significant present of assist for breast most cancers consciousness, early detection and improved entry to most cancers care.
Organised by Engraced Life Foundation (ELF), the annual eight-kilometre stroll introduced collectively representatives of the Rivers State Government, well being establishments, most cancers organisations, survivors, college students, corps members, enterprise homeowners, influencers and members of the general public beneath the theme, ‘United By Unique—Every Story Matters. Every Life Counts.’
Recognised by the state, because the main statewide breast most cancers consciousness mobilisation since 2021, and the largest of its sort within the South-south area, the occasion reworked the Rumuola venue into a gathering level for organisations and people working to enhance most cancers consciousness and affected person assist.
The morning opened with an lively warm-up session, earlier than the Rivers State Government delegation and WHO led contributors on the stroll. The eight-kilometre route started and ended at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, taking contributors via Rumuola and surrounding components of Port Harcourt.
The stroll was adopted by an interactive well being and group engagement that includes medical info stands, breast well being demonstrations, well being talks, video games, distributors and free screening providers.
Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Hope Avundaa, in a gap remarks, highlighted the significance of public consciousness, early detection and collaboration in bettering well being outcomes.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Peter Odili Cancer and Cardiovascular Hospital (POCCH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) group had been among the many medical and institutional stakeholders represented on the occasion.
More than 400 men and women obtained well being screening providers, together with breast and cervical most cancers screening, prostate screening, blood strain and blood sugar checks, alongside entry to medical consultations assisted by Power Oil.
The screening actions bolstered the inspiration’s message that consciousness should translate into sensible entry to well being info, medical evaluation and acceptable referrals.
One of the occasion’s main highlights was a particular parade by the Engraced Life Foundation medical staff, led by Dr. Stella Jerry Chukwu that showcased the inspiration’s achievements and recognitions over time, culminating within the presentation of its newest worldwide honour.
In September 2026, the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) introduced Engraced Life Foundation because the winner of the World Cancer Day Campaign Award for its PinkRoom Schools Outreach initiative.
The award was introduced on the World Cancer Congress in Hong Kong, recognising the inspiration’s work in advancing the worldwide United by Unique marketing campaign via schooling, group engagement and people-centred most cancers care.
The recognition locations a Nigerian community-based most cancers advocacy organisation among the many worldwide initiatives celebrated by UICC and highlights the contribution of domestically pushed programmes to international most cancers management.
For founder Ethel Olumo, the popularity represents each an achievement and a name to larger accountability.
“Receiving this recognition on an international platform means a great deal to us. It affirms that the work we are doing in our communities matters, and that solutions developed in Nigeria can contribute meaningfully to the global fight against cancer. For us, the award is not the end of the journey. It is a call to reach more people, especially young girls and underserved women who may otherwise be left out of essential health information and care,” Olumo stated.
The basis’s achievement comes amid rising worldwide consideration to Nigeria’s function in most cancers advocacy and the nation’s contribution to international cancer-control efforts.
The stroll supplied a platform for most cancers survivors to share their experiences and encourage others to hunt care with out disgrace or worry.
Among them was Benita Egone, a six-year thriver who travelled from Warri, Delta State, to take part. Her account of survival supplied encouragement to ladies navigating prognosis, remedy and restoration, whereas underscoring the significance of emotional assist and a group that treats survivors with dignity.
Dr Ngozi Welle, breast most cancers survivor and New York-based founding father of VictoriousNG, additionally joined the engagement, addressing ladies and celebrating survivors. She was considered one of many friends who travelled from totally different places, together with the United States, to take part within the marketing campaign and present solidarity with the most cancers advocacy group.
For many contributors, the gathering was a chance to see breast most cancers consciousness past the standard October marketing campaign: as a seamless accountability that entails listening to survivors, supporting sufferers and guaranteeing that girls can entry well timed info and acceptable care.
Another necessary function of the engagement was the official introduction of FT3, From Testing to Targeted Treatments, by Barbara Ariolu from the ELF medical unit.
The worldwide initiative offers patient-centred sources designed to assist individuals affected by most cancers and their representatives perceive focused therapies, biomarker testing and the questions they’ll ask healthcare professionals when contemplating remedy choices. Its inclusion at PinkNaija Walk 2026 prolonged the marketing campaign past prevention and early detection to handle the significance of remedy data and knowledgeable conversations between sufferers and medical groups.
Survivors and advocates had been engaged on how improved understanding of remedy choices can assist extra significant participation in healthcare choices and assist sufferers navigate their care pathways. National Coordinator of Engraced Life Foundation, Tamunotonye Pamela Daniel, thanked the Rivers State Ministry of Health, the workplace of the Permanent Secretary – Dr. Vincent Wachukwu, WHO Rivers State coordinator and staff, medical associations, institutional companions, volunteers, supporters and people whose contributions helped make the stroll attainable.
She stated the inspiration would proceed to make use of each out there useful resource and communication channel to advance breast most cancers consciousness, encourage early detection and enhance entry to screening, significantly amongst underserved communities.
“PinkNaija Walk opens our October campaign, but our work continues long after the walk. We are taking the message into communities where women and men may have limited access to screening, reliable information and medical guidance. Our goal is to make early detection and informed health decisions accessible, regardless of where people live or their financial circumstances,” Daniel stated.
Following the Port Harcourt occasion, the inspiration plans additional consciousness and screening actions throughout Ekiti, Lagos and Abia States, alongside further outreaches in Rivers State and different communities. The nationwide marketing campaign will provide free breast screening, well being schooling and different out there well being checks, connecting contributors to medical professionals and acceptable referrals the place mandatory.
Although the Niger Delta and the broader South-south stay core areas of focus, the inspiration says its mission extends throughout Nigeria, significantly to communities the place entry to most cancers info and early detection providers stays restricted. As the inspiration builds in the direction of World Cancer Day on February 4, 2027, consideration is popping to its subsequent part of school-based advocacy via the PinkRoom Schools Outreach, which targets 20 colleges.
The initiative offers age-appropriate breast and cervical well being schooling, private hygiene info, steering on recognising modifications within the physique and data on when to hunt assist from a trusted grownup or certified well being skilled. It additionally goals to equip ladies with sensible self-care sources and dignity kits, serving to to make well being schooling accessible and related to their each day lives.
The urgency of reaching younger individuals is underscored by the necessity to make sure that ladies perceive their our bodies, can talk about well being issues with out stigma and know the place to hunt dependable steering. While breast modifications and lumps don’t routinely point out most cancers, any uncommon or persistent change must be assessed by a certified well being skilled.
The basis is subsequently calling on colleges, authorities companies, healthcare suppliers, company organisations, improvement companions and particular person supporters to collaborate in reaching the 20 focused colleges and increasing the programme’s influence. With PinkNaija Walk 2026 setting the tempo for an additional season of advocacy, Engraced Life Foundation is urging Nigerians to assist the marketing campaign in the direction of World Cancer Day 2027 and assist make sure that consciousness results in sensible motion.
For the inspiration, the message stays clear: each story issues, each life counts, and entry to most cancers consciousness and early detection should prolong past the occasion floor into the communities the place it’s wanted most.
