STL, COPE offer free breast cancer screening

L-R: Chief Financial Officer, STL Capital Group Limited, Oko Mba; MD, STL Asset Management Ltd. , Ahmed Banu; CEO, Care Organisation Public Enlightenment, Ebunola Anozie; GMD, STL Capital Group Ltd., Funmi Ekundayo; and Executive Director, STL Capital Group Ltd., Akin Oni, during the STL Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness, organised by STL Capital Group in partnership with C.O.P.E. in Lagos, recently. PHOTO: STL Capital Group

STL Capital Group, in partnership with the Care Organisation Public Enlightenment, has intensified efforts to promote breast cancer awareness and early detection through its annual awareness initiative, featuring an 8km breast cancer awareness walk and free breast cancer screening.

The initiative, which marks the fourth consecutive year of collaboration between both organisations, aims to encourage early detection, promote public enlightenment and improve access to screening. The programme also features the distribution of educational materials to encourage individuals to seek timely medical attention.

Speaking during the exercise, Group Managing Director of STL Capital Group, Funmi Ekundayo, said the organisation had expanded its support following its evolution from STL Trustees into a capital market holding company with three companies under its structure.

She explained that the initiative was designed to reach more people through sustained awareness and advocacy, stressing that breast cancer education should involve both men and women.

“Essentially, you can see that we’ve had the walk for almost an hour now, and we’ve been distributing flyers to both male and female, because as you know, breast cancer is not gender sensitive. So we’ve been distributing the flyers, doing the public announcement to create awareness, and to have a serious advocacy towards breast cancer,” Ekundayo said.

She encouraged members of the public to take advantage of screening opportunities, noting that early detection remains critical to saving lives and improving health outcomes.

“We believe people should take advantage of these opportunities to get screened, as early detection saves lives. We are passionate about supporting COPE and are delighted to continue partnering with them to raise breast cancer awareness,” she stated.

Reaffirming the group’s commitment to the initiative as a key element of its corporate social responsibility, Ekundayo added, “We will continue to partner with COPE and every other NGO that shares the same ideals with us as an organisation to support what they do.”

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Also speaking, Executive Director of STL Capital Group, Akin Oni, urged corporate organisations to increase their contributions to public health initiatives, particularly those that encourage early diagnosis and treatment. He noted that fear and inadequate awareness could discourage people from seeking medical attention, adding that education was essential to encouraging individuals to know their health status.

Oni called on businesses to take corporate social responsibility seriously, noting that their contributions could extend beyond cancer awareness to other pressing public health concerns.

“My message to other corporate organisations is to take corporate social responsibility seriously. It may not necessarily be in the area of cancer; it could be polio or any other public health issue. This is the least we can do, especially as cancer remains a major health concern, with increasing attention being drawn to its impact,” Oni said.

He stressed the importance of encouraging people to seek medical assessment early, noting that timely diagnosis significantly improves treatment options and survival outcomes.

The Founder and CEO of COPE, Ebunola Anibaba, expressed appreciation for STL Capital Group’s continued partnership, noting that the organisation’s commitment had helped sustain the free breast cancer screening initiative. She explained that COPE conducts free breast ultrasound screening every third Saturday of the month, supported by corporate partners like STL Capital Group, providing women with access to vital checks without financial barriers.

She urged women to seek medical assessment when they notice unusual changes, including breast lumps, changes in breast size or shape, nipple inversion, unusual discharge or skin puckering. She also advised women not to let fear of a diagnosis prevent them from getting screened, emphasising that timely intervention yields better results.

Through the annual awareness walk, public enlightenment and free screening initiative, STL Capital Group and COPE continue to demonstrate the impact of corporate partnerships in advancing health education, encouraging early detection and supporting healthier communities.