Skye Bank Plc, in conjunction with its partner, C.O.P.E, (Care, Organisation and Public Enlightenment) a non-governmental organisation, has drawn public attention to the menace of breast cancer in a three-day conference put together for survivors in Lagos at the weekend.
The Group Managing Director of Skye Bank, Mr. Tokunbo Abiru, in a goodwill message to mark the breast cancer month, said: “There is need for a concerted effort by both government and public-spirited organizations to fight the scourge of cancer in our society to a standstill.”
Abiru described cancer as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, especially in developing economies where he said inadequate medical care and lack of awareness about the disease have combined to make it very deadly.
“Our commitment towards contributing to the fight against the high incidence of cancer, especially breast cancer in the country through our partner NGO, and under our corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, is unwavering, adding, “we have demonstrated this again and again by our continued support through C.O.P.E,” the bank chief said.
The Skye Bank CEO, who was represented at the occasion by Mrs. Funmi Oketogun, Group Head Commercial Banking, disclosed that the bank has been collaborating with C.O.P.E on a number of initiatives since the pact was initiated. The initiatives include the SEEK-A-CARE project, a long-term relevant home care delivery service offered to breast cancer patients.
“In addition to this, the bank has also established a breast cancer information service centre to serve as a databank where relevant and up-to-date information on breast cancer is made available, as well as a help desk equipped with dedicated phone lines where patients could call to make enquiries,” she added.
In her welcome address, the coordinator of C.O.P.E, Mrs Ebun Anozie, lauded the bank for various interventions, “materially, financially and otherwise, especially at a time when nobody believed in the cause of sensitization and providing relevant information on the cancer scourge to those who need it.”
