Kaduna-based Hassy’s Haven Foundation has raised the alarm over the growing number of preventable cancer deaths among indigent women in Nigeria, citing poverty, stigma, and limited access to care as major contributing factors.
The call came on Wednesday, February 4, as the world observed World Cancer Day, an annual initiative aimed at raising awareness and mobilising global action against the disease.
The Foundation lamented that, despite available treatment options, many Nigerian women are diagnosed at advanced stages due to a lack of early detection services, insufficient information, and the high cost of care. Cancer, it said, has become a daily reality, destroying families, depleting household incomes, and cutting short the lives of women in their most productive years.
Founder and CEO of Hassy’s Haven Foundation, Hussaina Yakubu, described cancer as not only a medical issue but also a social justice challenge.
“Too many women are dying, not because cancer is untreatable, but because they are poor, unheard, and unsupported. No woman should have to choose between feeding her children and accessing cancer care,” Yakubu said. She added that many patients are forced to fight the disease in isolation, making emotional support and community understanding as vital as medical intervention.
Yakubu explained that the Foundation was established in memory of her late twin sister, Hassana ‘Hassylove’ Yakubu, who battled cancer for eight years before her death. “My sister fought cancer with dignity, strength, and hope. Through Hassy’s Haven Foundation, we have chosen to turn pain into purpose by standing with women who have no voice, no access, and no safety net,” she said.
The Foundation focuses on emotional support, advocacy, sensitisation, and financial assistance for indigent female cancer patients, as well as widows and orphans affected by the disease.
It called on all levels of government to prioritise cancer prevention through widespread, affordable screening programmes and public health education. The Foundation also urged the private sector, health institutions, and development partners to subsidise treatment costs and expand oncology services beyond urban centres to reach rural and underserved communities.
“Decentralising cancer care will reduce late diagnoses and improve survival outcomes for women who currently lack access to specialised facilities,” Yakubu stressed. She also appealed to the public to break the culture of silence and stigma around cancer, which often prevents women from seeking help early.
“On this World Cancer Day, we are not just wearing ribbons; we are demanding action. Cancer care must be a right, not a privilege. Together, we can reduce preventable deaths and restore hope to thousands of families,” she said.
Elijah Adeyemi
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