The Care. Organisation. Public. Enlightenment (C.O.P.E) has marked three decades of pioneering work in breast cancer awareness, early detection, and survivor support with a commemorative event held at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
The ceremony brought together healthcare professionals, survivors, donors, and corporate partners, led by Polaris Bank, the organisation’s longstanding partner and lead sponsor.
Speaking at the event, Emeritus Professor Osato Giwa Osagie, Chairman of C.O.P.E’s Board of Trustees, recounted his first meeting with the Founder, Mrs Ebunola Anozie, describing her as “a persuasive and passionate woman whose vision has changed the narrative of breast health in Nigeria.”
He noted that COPE has become a national force for awareness and care, providing free monthly breast screenings, prosthetic bras, and financial assistance to women in need.
“In the last ten years, we have witnessed remarkable progress in breast cancer survival in Nigeria, thanks to early detection and consistent education,” Professor Giwa Osagie said. “We have also begun importing breast supplements specifically for women who have undergone mastectomy, available right here at the C.O.P.E Centre, to help them regain confidence and comfort,” he added.
He emphasised that the organisation’s next milestone would be the establishment of a permanent C.O.P.E Centre, complete with a screening unit, conference hall, and residential facility for women undergoing treatment or recovery.
In her remarks, Mrs Ebunola Anozie, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of C.O.P.E, reflected on how personal loss birthed a purpose that has endured for 30 years.
“C.O.P.E was born out of grief, but it became my way of transforming pain into purpose,” she said, adding that “from a modest awareness campaign in 1995, we have grown into a national movement that has educated millions and provided life saving early detection services for thousands of women.
Yet, our work is far from done. We need a permanent home where every woman can find hope, healing, and care.” She expressed gratitude to Polaris Bank and other corporate partners whose support, she said, “has kept C.O.P.E’s mission alive and expanding through every economic season.”
A highlight of the evening was the moving testimony of Mrs Agatha Obi, a breast cancer survivor who discovered C.O.P.E during her treatment. “In 2011, I was told I had breast cancer and would need a mastectomy.
It was devastating,” she recalled. “But through C.O.P.E, I found courage, community, and hope. Thirteen years later, I am alive, thriving, and grateful for this organisation that stood by me when I needed it most.”
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
