Supporting cancer patients in Nigeria

Postgraduate healthcare student Runcie C W Chidebe has secured a €20,000 (£16,681) grant to set up a Psychological Support Centre for women who have been diagnosed with cancer in Abuja, Nigeria.

The grant was made available by the Advanced Breast Cancer Global Alliance.

Runcie’s idea to set up a Psychological Support Centre to demystify the impact of cancer originated from a module assessment for Leadership Skills and Project Management for Health & Healthcare during his time at BCU studying his MSc Transforming and Leading in Health Care course.

The aim of the Psychological Support Centre is to provide mental health support directly to more than 5,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer and indirectly to over 50,000 individuals by December 2022.

Runcie said: “I am super appreciative of BCU and the opportunities given to me. Special thanks to module leader Dr Fouad Berrahou and my lecturer Helen Cope who believed so much in me and encouraged me to develop a project that I am passionate about. Ms Cope is such a passionate lecturer who is always ready to transform students to get the best out of them.

"The idea started as a module assessment. I then created a GoFundMe page to raise £7,521 and now I have received €20,000. The skills and knowledge acquired from BCU will now help to support the mental health of many cancer patients in Nigeria. I am so thankful for the donations, which have inspired me to keep promoting this initiative.

“A diagnosis of cancer and its treatment bring about many physical impacts, which negatively impact on the mental wellbeing of patients."