Sahara Group donates N120m to battle deadly disease

Investigations revealed that Sahara Group made the donation when Gov Ambode and Patron of #GivingTuesday hosted stakeholders committed to tackling the cancer scourge across the nation through provision of Mobile Cancer Centres.

The MCC is a clinic on wheels with state-of-the-art facilities for screening, follow-up and treatment including surgeries for pre-cancer and early cancer cases.

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The centre also offers screening for ten cancer-related killer diseases, including hepatitis, diabetes, and malaria, among others, ultimately helping to improve life expectancy in Nigeria where at least 100,000 cancer cases occur annually.

Executive Director and Co-Founder of Sahara Group, Tonye Cole said Sahara was delighted to be part of the initiative which he described as being “crucial to the success of addressing the cancer scourge sustainably.”

Speaking further, Cole said, “Through the interventions we continue to make via the vehicle of Sahara Foundation, we remain even more convinced that it is possible to address socio-economic and health challenges globally when willing stakeholders pool resources together. At Sahara, we are passionate about sharing and giving to causes in line with our focus on Education & Capacity Building, Health, Environment and Sustainable Community Development, that will transform lives, communities, businesses and nations. Nothing gives us more joy than touching lives since we started bringing energy to live as Sahara 20 years ago.”

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On his part, Bethel Obioma, Head, Corporate Communications, Sahara Group said "Over the years, Sahara has supported several cancer programmes within and outside Nigeria to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with cancer.

"The aim is to enlighten the public about the disease, detect it at the early stage and promote long-term survival rates. The programmes are implemented through awareness walks, educative sessions, free screening for men and women and the provision of treatment for an agreed number of positive cases.

"Some of Sahara Foundation’s cancer awareness programmes include but not limited to annual Sponsorship of Prostate Cancer Surgeries; Cancer Screening and Awareness Programme for Staff Members; Cancer Screening for Rural Women across Nigeria; Cancer Awareness Walk: Lagos & Abuja and Paddle for Cancer Dragon Boat Festival, Geneva, Switzerland," Obioma said.

Nigeria joins top countries of the world campaigning against and putting resources together to battle the dreaded disease, Cancer.

In 2012, the United Nations Foundation started the #GivingTuesday initiative to drive philanthropy globally through private and public sector collaboration. The activities of the initiative in Nigeria are powered by Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP-Nigeria).