In a bid to carry out advocacies and enlighten people against all kinds of cancer, the Ibadan Golf Club (IGC) will host the second edition of a golf kitty tagged: Cancer Awareness Golf Tournament between 12th to 13th July.
The golf tourney was conceptualized by a concerned golfer, Lizzy Afonja who claimed to have lost scores of loved ones to cancer, but believes enough awareness about cancer can reduce the scourge.
About 200 golfers from all over the country are expected in the two-day golf tourney where two cancer survivors will win all expense paid trip to United Arad Emirate (UAE) courtesy of one of the sponsors, UfitFly during the tournament.
While briefing newsmen in Ibadan ahead of the event, Afonja, the initiator of the tourney expressed her grief over the loss of over 20 people to the deadly decease which made her to champion an advocacy on the awareness against cancer.
“The golf tournament is to carry out advocacy against the deadly disease called cancer; it is killing people around us irrespective of age or background. The campaign is to enlighten people on how to go about it if its symptoms are noticed in their body.
“Consulting for advice from medical practitioners should be the first thing to do and not going to spiritualists for prayers, I’m not saying people should not pray about cancer cases but seeking immediate medical solution should be the first step, lots of people have lost their lives from ill-advises from pastors who told them not to go for surgery.
“Cancer can happen in any part of your body, it’s very painful to me because I have lost many loved ones to cancer. In the past 20 years, I have lost over 20 friends. This year alone, I have lost two friends, and last year I lost three friends and that was why I came up with this idea to use golf to advocate for cancer awareness whereby doctors will come around and enlighten us about the scourge”, Lizzy Afonja noted.
She, however, expressed happiness over the success recorded during the first edition held last year when the former first lady of Oyo State, Chief Mrs. Florence Ajimobi and first lady of Ondo State, Mrs. Betty Akeredolu came to counsel participants.
“Friday is cocktail party and two hours session with doctors that will talk to us on cancer awareness and alternative therapy person will also teach us what to eat and avoid in order to live a cancer free life, while the tournament and prize presentation would be held on Saturday”, said the veteran lady golfer.
Packaged by Olanrewaju Agiri
