Yemanja Cancer Care Initiative, Inc.

A nonprofit organization dedicated to improving access to early diagnosis and prevention for women's cancers in Nigeria.

Providing Early Diagnosis and Prevention for Women's Cancers

At Yemanja Cancer Care Initiative, our mission is to save the lives of women through screening and early diagnosis of breast and cervical cancer. To this end, we engage in outreach efforts to increase community awareness of these cancers, train local healthcare workers, advocacy for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, and partner with the community leadership, local organizations and healthcare providers to conduct cancer screening programs.

Breast Cancer

Every year, millions of women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Projections indicate that by 2030, 70% of all new cancer cases will occur in developing countries. Data from WHO in 2020 indicates that in Nigeria, breast cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in all adults; with 28, 380 new cases, it constituted ~23% of cancers in all adults. Most of these women present at more advanced stages of the disease where the likelihood of cure is lower; 14,274 women died from disease during the same year. If breast cancer is diagnosed early and treated before it spreads, five-year survival can be as high as 99%.

Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is preventable either by treatment of early precancerous lesions or vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV). Yet there were 12,075 new cases of cervical cancer and 7,968 deaths from the disease in Nigeria in 2020. In 2018, the WHO Director-General issued an urgent and bold call for action to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030. This will require coordinate partnerships across all sectors of society. Yemanja Cancer Care Initiative is committed to the fight to eliminate this disease that disproportionately takes the life of women in underserved populations.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

HPV is a common, sexually transmitted infection. Vaccinating girls against HPV protects them from the strongest strains of the infection which, if persistent, can develop into cervical cancer. The most effective prevention is vaccination against HPV.

Support Yemanja Cancer Care Initiative in its mission to improve access to early diagnosis and prevention of women’s cancers in Nigeria

See How You Can Contribute

Feel free to get in touch with us for more information about our programs. Your small help can make a huge difference.