The Managing Director of United Nigeria Airlines (UNA), Mazi Osita Okonkwo, has recounted his personal battle with cancer, disclosing that although he survived the disease, he lost two sisters to the same illness.
Okonkwo, who shared his experience at the launch of the airline’s joint cancer awareness initiative with the Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS) in Lagos on Wednesday, said he was passionate about the fight against cancer because of his personal experience with the disease.
The initiative, tagged United Against Cancer, is aimed at promoting early detection, raising awareness and supporting the treatment of indigent cancer patients across Nigeria.
According to Okonkwo, sharing his survival story is important because it gives hope to people battling the disease and helps dispel the perception that a cancer diagnosis is a death sentence.
He stressed that the fight against cancer must begin with early detection, adding that the airline had decided to deploy its platforms and resources to support the campaign.
Under the initiative, passengers booking flights through the airline’s website will have the opportunity to make voluntary donations towards cancer awareness, screening and treatment. Contributions will start from N1,000, with all funds raised going directly to an account designated by the Nigerian Cancer Society.
The airline will also use its flights and passenger engagement platforms to promote the campaign. Its cabin crew will make awareness announcements onboard, while information materials will be placed in seat pockets and co-branded materials displayed at check-in counters.
“We have heard the news, and we have seen people who have been affected by this deadly disease. It is on that basis that United Nigeria has decided to work with the Nigerian Cancer Society in a special way to mount a campaign against cancer in Nigeria,” Okonkwo said.
He appealed to Nigerians, corporate organisations and passengers to support the initiative, noting that even modest contributions could make a difference in the lives of patients struggling to afford treatment.
Speaking at the event, President of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, a pathologist, described the partnership as an important intervention in addressing the funding challenges confronting cancer care in the country.
He commended the airline for initiating the partnership as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts.
Omonisi highlighted the enormous financial burden associated with cancer treatment, describing the disease as a catastrophic illness capable of impoverishing even wealthy families.
He disclosed that advanced therapies, including immunotherapy, could cost as much as N50 million.
He also explained that patients from rural communities face additional challenges, including transportation expenses and the cost of temporary accommodation in major cities where specialised treatment is available. Such financial difficulties, he noted, sometimes force patients to abandon treatment.
The NCS president said funds raised through the initiative would support nationwide early screening, diagnostic assistance and treatment for indigent patients, particularly those in underserved rural communities.
He emphasised that early detection significantly improves the chances of successful treatment and called for sustained national screening programmes, public education and community outreach.
Omonisi also cautioned against screening exercises that identify patients with suspected cancer but fail to provide follow-up care and support.
He urged Nigerians to discard misconceptions surrounding the disease, including the belief that early breast cancer symptoms are ordinary boils or that tumours are necessarily caused by spiritual attacks.
He maintained that sustained awareness, early diagnosis and access to affordable treatment are essential to reducing cancer-related deaths in Nigeria.
