Polaris Bank steps up fight against breast cancer with free screening

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Polaris Bank, a leading digital retail commercial bank in Nigeria, has announced the sponsorship of free breast cancer screening for 250 women.

The initiative underscores the bank’s longstanding commitment to women’s health and aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages.

The bank’s intervention aims to empower underserved communities with access to life-saving screening and builds on its established track record in the fight against the disease.

It has partnered with an NGO, Care Organisation Public Enlightenment (C.O.P.E.), for over a decade, providing screening to more than 20,000 women and funding treatment for over 30 cancer patients.

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This year’s programme targets underserved communities, emphasizing early detection, crucial for improved survival rates and reduced treatment costs.

In addition to the screenings, the bank continues to promote awareness through education, advocacy and outreach programmes, encouraging women to conduct regular self-examinations and seek timely medical attention.

This strategy aims to build a culture of early detection for a healthier future.

Initiatives like “Celebrating Our Pink Heroes” and spa outings provide a platform for experience sharing and dispelling the stigma associated with the disease, the bank said.

In 2019, it also partnered with C.O.P.E. to distribute prosthetic bras to survivors, offering practical support and promoting self-confidence.

Polaris Bank’s commitment extends to infrastructure development. The bank co-financed the establishment of the Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre and Specialist Hospital (MRCC), a leading cancer treatment facility in sub-Saharan Africa.

The investment strengthens healthcare infrastructure and improves access to specialized care for Nigerian citizens.

Women interested in participating can find details on the bank’s website or social media pages.

Screening takes place on the third and fourth Saturdays of October and every third Saturday thereafter at the C.O.P.E. Centre in Lagos.

Polaris Bank, recognized as Nigeria’s Digital Bank of the Year for three consecutive years (2021-2023), leverages its digital expertise to promote public health awareness and empower women with access to essential healthcare services, it said.