No fewer than 400 school girls have received training on breast awareness in Ondo State courtesy of a non-profit organisation Emerging Communities Africa and BRECAN founded by wife of Ondo State governor, Betty Akeredolu.

The awareness, which coincided with a hackathon pitch competition, was powered by Access Bank.

On why it becomes necessary, Akeredolu said, “awareness is the entry point to solving the menace of breast cancer in our society.

“You need to know what you’re dealing with before the disease can be treated. We should all take home the message that breast cancer no longer kills. It no longer kills when it is detected early.”

She challenged the nation to take advantage of the different means provided by ICT to spread news on how breast cancer can be detected and cured.

She stressed the needs to translate information on breast cancer into Nigerian languages to foster grassroots and rural awareness.

Co-founder, Emerging Communities Africa, Kitan David, stated that 35 teams from the nation participated in the pitch competition with the grand finale in Akure, Ondo State.

The initiative started with a baseline survey to check for the level of awareness amongst women of breast cancer as well as the simple techniques they can use for self-examination.

The girls proceeded to participate in an essay competition, which produced five winners, winning N25, 000 scholarships for the 2018/2019 academic session and a back-to-school pack.

Team Bossom Heart from Benin City, Edo State, emerged champions with their idea of using artificial intelligence based mobile and web application that provides diagnostics and preventive support on breast cancer to women with the ability to sync with smart wearables for effective diagnosis.

•Sourced from The Nation report

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