Why I set up Pink Pearl Foundation-Ryan-Okpu

Orode

Poised to reach all corners of Nigeria to curb the menace of breast and cervical cancer, Mrs. Orode Ryan Okpu, daughter of Delta State Governor, Dr.  Emmanuel Uduaghan, has continued to make tremendous success through Pink Pearl Foundation, a Non-governmental Organization (NGO). She produced a film on cancer last year. In an interview with ADA DIKE, the graduate of Psychology speaks on why she produced the film.

-----------------------------

Can you tell us why you went into film production?

As part of its numerous activities, Pink Pearl Foundation (PPF), a charity organisation set up in 2007 to create awareness for breast and cervical cancer for women, last year, premiered Living Funeral, a film which captures the life of a breast cancer patient. 
Directed by a prolific Nigerian film maker, Udoka Oyeka, produced the film which was premiered at Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos on October 27, 2013 and in Asaba, Delta State on December 3, 2013.

The film explores a story of a young, beautiful girl, Yvette (Stephanie Wilson) who’s diagnosed of having cancer of the breast, though responding to treatment has few weeks to live.

Viewers are taken on her incredible journey of hope, bravery and despair told through the eyes of the lead character’s sister (Wilson) and her hard-hearted mother, who refuses to come to terms with her daughter’s illness. To help her family deal with their grief, Yvette holds a mock funeral while still alive. Yvette becomes so emotional when she recalls the good days and her closeness with her family members.

Orode

Living Funeral is evidence to the organization’s dedication to increase public awareness through education about symptoms, prevention, diseases processes and the importance of regular examination for early detection of breast and cervical cancer.

The film, which was written by Akpo Kegho aims to give hope to breast cancer patients. It has a very emotional story which after reading the script many times, I decided to produce it based on its content. Full of intrigues and suspense, the film which is on digital video disk (DVD), will soon be aired in many television stations across Nigeria, cable television and YouTube.

How did people receive the film?

Its acceptance has been amazing! Within a short period of time after its premiere, Living Funeral has been nominated for eight awards at the annual AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs). The short, but touching film has been shortlisted in eight of the 27 categories and they include: Best Movie 2013 (Orode Ryan-Okpu and Udoka Oyeka); Best Movie-Drama (Orode Ryan-Okpu and Udoka Oyeka); Best Movie Director (Udoka Oyeka); Best Actress in a Drama (Stephanie Wilson); Best Supporting Actress in a Drama (Liz Ameye). Others include: Best Writer-Drama (Akpor Kagho); Best Cinematographer (Idhebor Kagho); and Best Lighting Designer (Godwin Daniel).

According to the organizers, viewers have the power to select the winner by voting via SMS or online at www.amvcaawards.dstv.com. The winners in the other technically focused categories will be selected by an expert panel of judges. General public can vote for Liz Benson (Ameye) as the Best Supporting Actress in a Drama, by texting the code in bracket (4C) to: +2783142100415; Stephanie Wilson as the Best Actress Living Funeral, by texting the code in bracket (3A) to: +2783142100415 or visit the link – www.amvcaawards.com/nomineeslist to vote in other categories.

The award ceremony would hold on Saturday, March 8, 2014 to celebrate all who have contributed to Africa’s film-making industry over the last 12 months.

What informed your decision to set up Pink Pearl Foundation?
I lost a close aunt through breast cancer in Delta State. She was very young and had no child. What baffled me about her own is that shortly she discovered that she had breast cancer, it spread fast and she died. She did not tell anyone or went for screening. The next thing we heard was that she’s gone. She was a TV presenter, upward mobile lady and nice person. It was after her death that the idea to do something about breast cancer struck me. Initially, breast cancer was the least of my worry but when she died, I decided to set up Pink Pearl Foundation to fight cancer.

When did you set up Pink Pearl Foundation?

I set up Pink Pearl Foundation (PPF) in 2007 to create awareness for breast and cervical cancer for women. Initially, we started by creating awareness for only breast cancer but realised that cervical cancer is another cancer that affects Nigerian women.

In five years, we have been able to do about 50 events which include screenings and rallies, walks, university campaigns, tours, market campaigns, cycling and so on.  Some years ago, many women were diagnosed with lumps. We also had the case of a lady who had cancer and needed assistance to commence treatment. We handled that as well. We had the Pink Ride - a bicycle ride from Asaba to Benin and Warri. We have done quite a lot of events in five years.

In 2012, we started with university campaign in four schools where we organised seminars, screenings and so on. We also went to a mosque in Ogba, Lagos. We did not concentrate on breast and cervical cancer alone but started another project in 2012 by giving out new and fairly-used clothes, shoes, food items and so on to the less privileged.

How has the foundation fared in fighting breast and cervical cancer?

The foundation has made tremendous commitment towards saving the lives of Nigerian women, through various awareness campaigns and provision of high-quality breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services for women who are undeserved.

Pink Pearl Foundation has also been able to increase public awareness through education about symptoms, prevention, disease process and the importance of regular examination for early detection.

Every year at Pink Pearl Foundation, we make it a point to assess our past engagements, establishing a scorecard on the things we did well and where we need to improve or exert more energy. The year 2012 was not an exception.

The Foundation kicked off its activities for 2012 with University Campaigns empowering youths for the fight against breast and cervical cancer. This idea was born in 2008 when the first series of campaign to various tertiary institutions commenced. Pink Pearl Foundation visited University of Port Harcourt, University of Benin, Delta State University Abraka, and Delta State University Anwaii campus; between March and April last year. The events were trailed by an intensive and informative lecture on breast and cervical cancer, given by the expertise of the foundation’s medical professionals who volunteer at such events.  The campaigns featured quiz competitions, and winners from the different schools went home with ten thousand Naira (N10, 000) and an opportunity to become a university ambassador for the foundation.

In response to feedback from a successful give-away outreach to children from orphanages in Lagos organized by the foundation in December 2011, it decided to do a similar event to mark the Easter celebration in 2012. The event was tagged “Ajegunle Easter Giveaway” and it held in the Ghetto homeland – “Ajegunle City” in Lagos state.

Could you tell us the number of women that were screened in Ajegunle?

The event played host to over 5000 children and 600 adults. Out of 600 women, 100 were screened. It was all fun and games for the children as they ate, danced and cheered during the different competitions; while the adults took part in a breast and cervical cancer awareness, lecture that stressed on early detection, the children also went home with loads of gifts.

On April 29, 2012, Pink Pearl Foundation went to Oluwole, Ogba Mosque in Lagos State for breast and cervical cancer training session. The Chief Imam of the mosque, Alhaji Saadallah Bello in acknowledging the foundation’s humanitarian work and the success of the training session, emphasized the steps taken by the mosque to help women with abnormalities seek further medical attention. This, he said, was part of their routine and sermon to encourage the women at the mosque to own up to regular checks and also help others.

Cancer related death rates continue to rise across the country and this calls for mass advocacy. This fact made the foundation design a lecture series in the month of May on “Breast self-examination” and delivered to NYSC Community Development (CD) groups, starting with the Idi Owu local government area of Ilupeju, Lagos State.

How many people have been screened and treated for cervical cancer?

I realized that breast cancer is deadlier, there is 50/50 chance survival unlike cervical cancer which can be cured. In August, the Foundation embarked on the Cervical Cancer Screening Week project by providing free lecture, screening, and treatment to women at Central Hospital Warri, and Central Hospital Okwe-Asaba, Delta state.  A total of 564 women were screened, 21 women were diagnosed with early pre-cancerous stage of cervical cancer, and 18 women were treated.

 We treated them with the help of sponsors who volunteered through open-ended option, which was: ”pay N1,000.00 if you want to sponsor a woman for treatment. We also worked with Kerry Life Foundation founded by Dr. Matilda Kerry who basically has a cervical foundation that deals with cervical cancer. She charged us half the price because she goes around curbing cervical cancer in Nigeria.

Pink Pearl Foundation marked its fifth anniversary in November 2012. A fundraising event was organized to mark the occasion. Tagged “The Pink Issue,” it revealed the progress that the foundation had made over the last five years and the foundation’s future projects. The event also extended invitation to people to join in the fight against breast and cervical cancer by making donations.

Continuing on its tradition, on December 1, 2012, Pink Pearl Foundation in partnership with Oaken events, organized a Christmas party for 300 children of Little Saints Orphanage, Akowonjo Lagos. The event was dubbed ‘Project LSO (Little Saints Orphanage) Christmas Giveaway’. The children were thrilled at the event, and food, drinks, games, and gift items were made available to every child.

Tell us your future plans for people living with breast and cervical cancer

Every month in this year, we have programmes lined up. Among other upcoming events we are doing in 2014 and beyond, Pink Pearl Foundation planned to conduct cervical cancer mission in some states.

What are your achievements?

PPF has produced a cancer based movie and create a women empowerment centre that organizes skill acquisition programmes for cancer patients, survivors, and their relatives. They will be able to learn arts and skills that can fetch them money and keep them busy.

What is your biggest challenge in doing this work?

The biggest challenge I have encountered and still encountering so far, is the way our women handle the issue concerning their health. I lost one of our patients in 2012 who played active role during my wedding in 2011. We asked her to come last year for treatment and she turned it down and we discovered that she had a lump on her breast but she refused to come for treatment and decided to pray for healing. Early 2012, the cancer spread and she died. She is the second woman that had worked away from our offer. Probably, she would have been alive if she hadn’t walked away.

I don’t know whether it has to do with culture or fear of death, even some educated women around us shy away from screening. I don’t know why the reality is staring at you and you turned your face away.

So what is your advice to Nigerian women?

They should accept the reality of the fact that cancer can be treated. There always shout, “God forbid!” if you ask them to come for screening. We need Nigerian women to accept that it can happen to anybody under the sun. Women should realise that we don’t pray for breast or cervical cancer for anybody but we need to be open-minded and face the reality of life.

How do your source fund in carrying out this laudable project?

We solicit for fund from individuals and organisation. The work we do speak for itself so when we ask someone to donate for the treatment of a patient, he or she always knows what the fund will be channelled to.

Out of 36 States in Nigeria, how many States have you covered?

We have done five States -Delta, Edo, Cross River, Lagos and Rivers.

Was it in the state capitals?

We covered the rural areas in these states. For example we drove three hours from Calabar to Ikom in Cross River State. In Lagos, we went to Isolo, Mushin, Ogba, Ikeja and so on.

What were you doing before you set the foundation?

I was in school at the University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada where I studied Psychology. My father is a medical doctor so it’s interesting to render service in a health-related field. My mother used to work in Shell Petroleum but now, she focuses basically on her family and her restaurant. She has a foundation she has been running for over eight years so I got the inspiration from her. When I saw how appreciative women she helped were, I told myself that it was something I would definitely do.

Do you feel fulfilled doing it?

 Though there is a lot of work to be done and a lot of stress to go through in tackling cancer, I am happy doing it. Sometimes I feel frustrated when things are not going the right way but at the end of day, I feel good when a woman walks up to me and say, “God bless you, my daughter.” That is all I do this for. I am happy because I have a good team that supports me.

Give us an insight to your background

I am from a family where there’s discipline. I have a younger brother and others.

I got married to Ryan Okpu in Warri, Delta State, on Saturday, November 12, 2011 and we are blessed with a beautiful baby.

What other thing do you do aside PPF?

I run a downstream oil company while my husband runs a company. My oil company is my main source of income. My husband is very supportive because he understands that I have to pursue my career.

Would you say your father’s influence opens doors for you to be successful?

I am a workaholic so I don’t depend on my father’s influence. As for donors, when they realised that I am Governor Uduaghan’s daughter, they support my project knowing well that I won’t run away with their money, so his influence in a way opens doors for me.

How do you relax?

I don’t relax. I don’t feel comfortable if I am not working. Sometimes I sleep early. I can at 9pm and wake up at 12 am. I go home and rest on my husband’s shoulder when things did not work out the way it should.

How will you be able to sustain the PPF project in the next 10 years?

God who has helped me in the past six years will help me to sustain it because I want it to outlive me. Everyday of my life, I see myself wanting to do more than what I have done. I thank God for giving me a great team.