Preparations are in top gear for the launching of three organisations linked to Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, has said.
The humanitarian organisations are Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation, Cancer Centre and Henry Seriake Dickson Institute.
The commissioner stated this in Toru-Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State while fielding questions from journalists on the plans by Dickson to float the three institutions.
The governor had announced his intention to establish the three institutions during condolence visits to him by friends on the death of his mother and matriarch of the Dickson family, Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson.
Iworiso-Markson said having lost his mother to cancer, the governor was passionate to lead the fight against the disease by creating the needed awareness.
He thanked well-meaning individuals and organisations who have started making useful donations towards the cause and urged more people to do so.
The commissioner commended Dickson for the initiative, saying it would go a long way to help reduce cases of cancer, increase awareness on the need for cancer screening by Nigerians.
He said that even though it was a private initiative, the Bayelsa State Government would partner with the foundation to help create the awareness amongst people of the state on the dangers of the disease and the need for early detection.
According to him, the Late Mrs. Dickson died of lung cancer even though she was not a smoker and “so it calls for concern and for scientists to explain the possibility of such death by those who don’t smoke.”
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He decried the number of deaths recorded by young people as a result of cancer but maintained that with adequate sensitization the scourge could be reduced.
The image maker of the State Government insisted that needless deaths arising from cancer could be stopped if there was a collective action plan by the people of Bayelsa and Nigerians.
