Access Women Network (AWN) of Access Bank took a bold step recently when it launched a free breast cancer screening and awareness initiative for 300 women at Iponri Market in Lagos.
The initiative, part of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, aligns with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, emphasizing the importance of early detection and proactive healthcare support in communities.
Speaking on the initiative, Iyabo Soji-Okusanya, Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking of the bank said the bank was motivated by desire to create positive social impact in communities where it operates.
Her words, “If you make money from a community, you have a social responsibility to give to that community, to ensure that that community is sustained, because it is only through the sustenance of that community that your own business can become sustainable,”
She added that AWN through this awareness campaign aims to facilitate early breast cancer detection by providing free screenings; breast scans for women under 40 and mammograms for those over 40.
Okusanya stressed that the bank’s dedication is to ensure that any woman diagnosed during the screening process receives full support.
“What we have committed to do is, take on that process and ensure we see it to the end. We do not wish for such, but if, per adventure, anyone here is diagnosed to have breast cancer, we at Access Bank will provide all the required support to ensure that she comes out a survivor.”
Group Head of Commercial Banking at Access Bank, Vashti Samdi, emphasized the need for healthcare support for women beyond the market, “There’s a likelihood that one out of every eight women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. We hope that we can save lives by early detection, Samdi stated.
Medical professionals were on ground to educate market women on breast cancer risk factors such as family medical history, age lifestyle among others. They demonstrated self-examination techniques, and reiterated the importance of regular medical check-ups.
Dr. Tokunbo Otitoju during the health talk to the market women stressed that, “Breast cancer is not a death sentence. With early detection and proper treatment, you will definitely overcome it.”
Access Bank will sponsor comprehensive screenings at partner healthcare facilities through November to accommodate the target of 300 beneficiaries, ensuring a thorough follow-up process.
In addition to breast cancer awareness, other health services such as blood pressure and blood sugar screenings were provided.
