Project PINK BLUE: 2014

WELCOME MESSAGE from the desk of the Founder/Executive Director of Project PINK BLUE and Health & Psychological Trust Centre (HPTC), Runcie C.W. Chidebe.

In less than a year, 657 women have benefited from our free screening projects.

Millions have been touched indirectly through massive and innovative awareness creation.

Three (3) Screening Projects (Free Breast & Cervical Cancer Screenings)

Three (6) Awareness Events

Seventeen (17) team members

Fifty one (51) volunteers and still counting...

Many TV and Radio interviews and awareness programme including two international TV.

Winner, Global Shaper Community Abuja I AM BOLD AWARD, Shape Africa 2014.

Semi-finalist, The Big C Competition, LiveStrong, Austin, USA.

Nominated for Best Project 2013/2014 in the Youth Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition with UNESCO, Berlin, Germany.

I am so happy to welcome you to Project PINK BLUE blog

More people die of cancer because they lack access to accurate cancer information and affordable screening services in Nigeria. Painfully, most poor people as well as rural dwellers have poor healthcare seeking behavior, presenting to the healthcare facility at a very a late/advanced stages of cancer. Others visit native doctors “juju”; hence, finally making it to the healthcare facility at such a critical stage that only palliative care can be offered; and survival is poor. It is even more pathetic as there are millions of people across Nigeria who do not have enough food for their families, who live in slums, who survive from “hand to mouth”(low income/poor), and cannot afford basic needs, let alone of Cancer Screening and treatment.

These people are the focus of Project PINK BLUE.

Painfully, Nigeria has been rated the 1^st nation in Africa and 5^th in the world with highest cervical cancer deaths with over 26 women dying daily. Breast cancer incidence is higher with 90 new cases per 100 000 women annually in some western countries, compared with 30 per 100 000 in some African countries. In contrast, breast cancer deaths are almost identical, at about 15 per 100 000, which clearly points that late diagnosis and much poorer survival in Africa. Source: Cervical Cancer Free Coalition, May, 2013 (Crisis Card), IARC/WHO/GLOBOCAN 2013. Okoye, I. 2014.

We can change this…I strongly believe, an I know you believe too.

Swat Duniya, OAP of NigeriaInfo FM Abuja with Runcie C.W. Chidebe, Founder, Project PINK BLUE during the Free Breast & Cervical Cancer Awareness & Screening at Kuje Community.

Runcie C.W. Chidebe, Founder & Executive Director, Project PINK BLUE with the PPB Volunteers

Runcie C.W. Chidebe, Founder & Executive Director, Project PINK BLUE creating awareness on cancer at Kuje Community

Runcie helping women at a free screening project

Runcie sharing moment of action with the women

Runcie C.W. Chidebe as a Corps Member, when Project PINK BLUE started.

Project PINK BLUE Team as Corps Members.

Project PINK BLUE Team Members

Project PINK BLUE is a youth-led non-profit cancer initiative that started as an NYSC community development service project with focus on Breast & Cervical Cancer Awareness and Free Screening for rural and poor women to phase-out advanced/late diagnosis of cancer and to reduce the incidence of cancer all over Africa. We provide free cancer screenings, support to cancer patients through linkages to financial aids and psychological well-being, support to cancer research, awareness and advocacy.

This is how we started, during my National Youth Service in Abuja, I founded Project PINK BLUE as my personal community development service on Breast and Cervical Cancer; to create awareness, provide free screening and support to people battling with cancer. I started this because I have always cared for girls and women, having been born to a family of five boys no girl. Every girl, lady or women is a sister to me. I love girls, ladies and women and I care for them. I was so close to my mother and she is my best; she made me and my brothers to do all the house work including cooking and otherwise. She brought me closer to understanding women's health and the suffering of women, since, she always helped a lot of women at pre-natal, natal and post-natal in our neighborhood. From this experience I have become so compassionate to the pains of women. Tune to TVs, radios, on the streets of Abuja and otherwise, you see women begging for financial support to do one mastectomy (breast surgery or the other). This sprouted me and begin to search for a way out. Project PINK BLUE was born.

As at then I was still a corps member, I started drafting plans, research (it was painful, there is little or no data to work with), I informed Jim Franklyn my very good friend, he has always been a motivator, he encouraged me. I begin to collect emails and cell numbers of my fellow corps members to share my vision with them. Some responded, and volunteered. We launched our first screening project in remote village called Kabusa on Saturday, 28th September, 2013 with 165 women in attendance, 105 got free screenings. I practically shade tears of joy when I saw women dancing and happily going home, showering prayers to me and my team. That was when I realized this is no longer just a dream nor vision, its about giving life to another. Making a difference positively in the lives of people who cannot pay you back. I was overwhelmed.

Though, it was a challenging experience! Many people refused to support me because they believed that the poor/rural people will not add value to their businesses; others discouraged me as they consider me to be helping the government do their work. I stood by my vision of reducing the incidence of cancer in Nigeria. It was like a wave after my first project was successful, they started to support me. Today, we have done few impactful projects and people have been honouring us for taking the bold step.

I think it is time we all learn to be more proactive and understand that activism is a pragmatic act with your legs moving out of your house, your mouth flipping up, your voice heard, and your hands docking on doors and not just only your hands on digital devices for social media attention. Though I appreciate the relevance of social media, many use it to criticize destructively. I prefer to use it constructively. Criticism is good, but it can help us more if we do it constructively and start to contribute in our little way starting from where we are – my community – Oba, your community, Nigeria, Africa, and the world will be a better place. It just takes a little step and commitment. One of the most interesting lessons is that everyone must not lead; some will lead while others follow and to help the people you have to give them the opportunity to own the process.

Additionally, the youths are so much concerned with programmes that bring much money into their pockets. Service is gradually becoming rare. This has led to a situation where the youths are used to perpetrate crimes by unscrupulous politicians. It is important for the youths to know that their destiny is in their hands and service to humanity is a common avenue of achieving one’s goals and dreams as well as gaining all sort of positive recognitions. Service is key and the youths must think of areas they can be of service to their communities.

WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US.

We can do more...We want you to join us as a VOLUNTEER, DONOR, SUPPORTER & BLOGGER.

In Africa, less people have cancer but, more people die of it...more awareness is paramount to help reduce the incidence of cancer in Africa.

I conclude,with my mentor's statement, Do Everything In Love.

You are most welcome to Project PINK BLUE blog.

Hugs.

Runcie C.W. Chidebe

Founder/Executive Director

Project PINK BLUE

HEALTH & PSYCHOLOGICAL TRUST CENTRE (HPTC)

t: +234 803 6053 866, 7086908385

info@projectpinkblue.org