The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has offered to support the Centre for Cancer Awareness being planned in honour of the Memory of the late Mrs. GoldCoast Dickson, the mother of the Governor of Bayelsa State.

The Deputy President of the PSN, South, Dr. Daniel Orumwhense, made the pledge for partnership while leading the body on a condolence visit to the Governor of Bayelsa State in his country home of Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area, on Tuesday.

The Late Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson died of lung cancer at the University of Texas M.D Anderson Cancer Centre, Houston, Texas, in the United States at the age of 72.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. FIdelis Soriwei, quoted Orumwhense has having said that the PSN was ready to volunteer the services of its experts and ensure availability of original drugs to the centre when it became operational.

He stated also that the pharmacists who graduated in large number from the Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University were equipped enough to provide the requisite support to the planned centre.

He said: “We are aware of the cancer centre which the Dickson family is planning to establish in honour of the memory of your late mother.

“The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria will partner with you. We have the manpower; we have the capacity, to manage it. Your Excellency, you can rely on the experts trained at the NDU to handle the centre. We will ensure that original drugs are made available at Cancer Centre to take care of the people.”

He said the Governor’s mother fondly called Mama Gogo lived a life worthy of celebration having nurtured successful children including a governor who was making serious contributions of societal development.

In his remarks, the Governor said that the Dickson family decided to establish a Centre for Cancer Awareness with the objective of reducing avoidable deaths from the deadly disease.

He said that the GoldCoast Dickson Cancer Centre would not be funded by the government but was designed to operate with donations to the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation, the operators of the centre.

He stressed that the centre would focus on promoting cancer awareness and screening as part of the efforts to reduce deaths occurring as a result of the disease in the society.

The Governor said that cancer would require not only funds from partners but also their expertise in its programmes deliberately designed to counter cancer and its spread.

Apart from the PSN, the NMA, the Ijaw Youth Council, women groups, community leaders and other bodies have also indicated interest in supporting the planned Cancer Centre.

Governor Dickson also called on traditional rulers of the Niger Delta to give the necessary support to the efforts to create awareness against the spread of cancer.

•Photo by Lucky Francis shows the Ibenanaowei of Gbarain Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, King Funpere Akah, speaking during a condolence visit by Gbarain/Ekpetiama Council of Chiefs to the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (2nd right) over the demise of his mother, Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson at his country home Toru-Orua in Sagbama Local Government Area of the State, while the Ibananaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, HRM. King Bubaraye Dakolo (2nd left) and Mr. Aze Moses Dickson (right) look on.

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