SUNU Assurances Nigeria PLC and SUNU Health Nigeria Limited, in collaboration with H2O Wellness Foundation, have sensitised over 60 women, including 40 radio presenters, on breast cancer awareness, focusing on early detection and preventive healthcare, urging them to prioritise their health while educating the public.

Speaking during the initiative in Lagos, tagged Pink Mic 2026, as part of activities marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with female media practitioners participating in health education, wellness activities and breast cancer screening.

Convener of the H2O Wellness campaign and broadcast journalist, Janet Karz Joshua, said the initiative was designed to address the need for women in the media industry to pay greater attention to their health, despite their responsibility to educate and inform the public.

Joshua said women journalists regularly use their platforms to promote breast cancer awareness but often neglect their personal health needs in the process.

According to her, the initiative was established to ensure that female media practitioners receive the information, medical attention and support needed to make informed decisions about their wellbeing.

She said the maiden edition was organised to equip participants with practical knowledge they could take back to their respective media organisations and use to educate wider audiences.

Joshua added that the Foundation would measure the programme’s impact by encouraging participants to sustain conversations about breast health and preventive healthcare through their radio programmes, news reports and other media platforms.

She disclosed that the Foundation had conducted media engagements with Smooth FM and another radio station, noting that the campaign’s reach would extend beyond the participants through subsequent media reports and social media content.

She explained that the campaign would also explore opportunities to engage women across different professions and socioeconomic backgrounds, stressing that healthcare awareness should be accessible to everyone.

“Women in the media give information, but are we cared for the way we should be cared for?” she asked, explaining the motivation behind the campaign.” Joshua said.

In her remarks, the Head of Corporate Services, SUNU Assurances Nigeria PLC. Japari Yusuf, said breast cancer awareness must go beyond annual campaigns to become a regular part of conversations among families, workplaces and communities.

Yusuf, who spoke on behalf of SUNU Assurances and SUNU Health, said the organisation supported the initiative because of its commitment to preventive healthcare, access to medical services and community wellbeing.

She recounted the experience of a young woman who underwent the removal of both breasts following a breast cancer diagnosis and subsequently experienced the breakdown of her marriage, describing it as an example of the personal and social consequences associated with the disease.

Yusuf also recalled losing a colleague to breast cancer in 2018 after the woman underwent chemotherapy and initially appeared to be recovering.

She urged women to understand their bodies, seek medical advice when they notice unusual changes and undergo appropriate screening based on their age, individual risk factors and professional medical advice.

Yusuf emphasised that awareness would only make a meaningful difference when it translated into action, urging women to make time for medical check-ups, seek professional guidance and encourage others to do the same.

According to her, women who are worried about possible symptoms need encouragement to seek medical care, while those diagnosed with the disease require support rather than isolation or stigmatisation.

Yusuf said SUNU Group’s participation was part of its Pink October campaign, adding that the organisation had previously supported breast cancer screening for 100 women in 2024 and 150 women in 2025.

She urged participants to share the knowledge gained at the event, support other women and challenge the stigma associated with breast cancer.

“Not every breast change is cancer. But any new or unusual change deserves appropriate medical attention.

“I called on media practitioners to use their platforms to counter misinformation, correct misconceptions and promote compassionate conversations about breast cancer,” she said.

Also speaking, the Founder and Medical Director of HealthRite Company Limited, Dr Uchenna Anekwuonye, called for greater attention to lifestyle medicine, physical activity and other evidence-based approaches to maintaining good health.

Anekwuonye said a cancer diagnosis should not automatically be regarded as a death sentence, stressing that early detection and appropriate medical treatment could improve outcomes.

She encouraged women to adopt healthy lifestyle practices, including balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, stress management, avoidance of harmful substances and meaningful social connections.

She recommended at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity weekly, explaining that exercise could support overall health and benefit people recovering from breast cancer.

She also highlighted the importance of strength-training exercises, recommending that they be undertaken twice weekly, with adequate rest between sessions.

Anekwuonye cautioned against taking medications without appropriate medical assessment, sharing prescription drugs with others or treating symptoms based on assumptions rather than test results.

She said lifestyle medicine was an evidence-based medical practice that complemented conventional healthcare and encouraged individuals to take greater responsibility for their wellbeing.

Meanwhile, Olufunke Anifowoshe of Matron Pearl said early detection could have saved many lives and that knowing the risk factors, such as irregular changes in breast size, colour and inversion, is important.

She urged women to exercise more and be conscious of changes in their bodies.

“Not only are women prone to breast cancer; it is both genders, but women are more likely to have it.” She spoke.

The organisers urged participants to sustain the campaign beyond October by sharing credible health information, encouraging timely medical consultations and promoting regular preventive healthcare and screening among women in their communities.