Early Cancer Detection Key to Effective Treatment – Anambra First Lady

The wife of the Anambra State Governor, Nonye Soludo, has stressed that early detection remains vital in the fight against cancer, while also calling for an urgent review of everyday lifestyle choices, especially dietary habits.

Mrs Soludo said cancer has continued to spread widely across households and communities largely due to unhealthy consumption patterns and addictive behaviours.

The Anambra First Lady, who is also the founder of Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo, made this known in a press statement issued on Wednesday to mark World Cancer Day, observed annually on February 4.

World Cancer Day is a global awareness initiative dedicated to promoting cancer prevention, early detection, and effective treatment. It is led by the Union for International Cancer Control in support of the World Cancer Declaration adopted in 2008 and recognised by the United Nations.

According to her, the goal of the day is to significantly reduce cancer-related illness and deaths while uniting the global community against avoidable suffering linked to the disease. She explained that this year’s theme, United by Unique, encourages a more deliberate and compassionate approach to cancer advocacy, noting that cancer is not only a medical condition but a deeply personal human experience.

Soludo said cancer continues to claim lives at an alarming rate, despite growing stories of survival. She noted that the rising figures highlight a growing neglect of routine health checks and healthy living.

She emphasised that early detection remains central to effective cancer care, stressing the importance of regular cancer screening. According to her, cancer becomes far more dangerous when diagnosed late, urging people not to delay medical checks but to take proactive steps toward screening.

She also highlighted the need to reassess daily lifestyle choices, starting with what people eat, noting that unhealthy consumption habits and addictions have given cancer easy access into many homes and communities. She called for a conscious effort to abandon harmful habits and adopt healthier ways of living.

Speaking further on the World Cancer Day theme, Soludo said the campaign calls for collective responsibility, compassion, and support for those living with cancer. She noted that the battle against cancer should not be left to patients alone, describing it as a shared journey of resilience and survival that requires care, love, and community support.

She urged the public to support individuals battling the disease in any way possible, stressing that such collective action can make a lasting impact.

She also encouraged residents, especially women and mothers, to prioritise their health and overall wellbeing, describing health as the greatest form of wealth and the foundation for a productive life.

According to her, adopting a holistic approach to health—covering physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing—can help reduce preventable, lifestyle-related illnesses. She advised people to nourish themselves properly to think clearly, move actively, work effectively, love fully, and rest well.