Abuja: An NGO, Okapi Children Cancer Foundation (OkapiCCF), has donated over N39.5 million to selected hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to bridge gaps in access to quality healthcare for underprivileged children with cancer. Ms. Kemi Adekanye, the Founder of OkapiCCF, announced this during the 2025/2026 presentation on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the benefiting hospitals include the National Hospital, Federal Medical Centre, Jabi (FMC), and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH). Ms. Adekanye, while presenting the cheques to representatives of these hospitals, stated that the donated funds would cover medical expenses for treatment, chemotherapy, radiology, and more for the children.
She revealed that the foundation raised N39.5 million, 820 US dollars, and 20 Euros during its 2025 fundraising for children fighting cancer. She noted that 70 percent of the generated amount would be allocated for direct treatment of the children, while 30 percent would support other childhood cancer interventions.
Ms. Adekanye explained that these interventions include an education scholarship scheme for survivors, psychological support, capacity building, and economic empowerment for indigent parents of survivors, as well as advocacy. The National Hospital will receive N11,076,916, while FMC, Jabi, and UATH will each be allocated N8,307,687 to support children with cancer.
She emphasized the high cost of cancer treatment and the necessity for financial support from well-meaning Nigerians to prevent abandonment and potential fatalities. Over the nine years, the foundation has supported children and families in completing treatment and provided educational scholarships to survivors.
Ms. Adekanye provided a breakdown of the foundation's nine-year fundraising achievements, highlighting that they generated N765,000 in 2017, N1.3 million in 2018, N2.1 million in 2019, N3.2 million in 2020, N6 million in 2021, N9.6 million in 2022, N15.3 million in 2023, N30.1 million in 2024, and N39.5 million plus 820 USD and 20 Euros in 2025.
She urged for more support for children suffering from cancer and called on the government to subsidize cancer treatment and care costs to enable access to uninterrupted healthcare, thus reducing mortality rates.
Prof. Sa'ad Ahmed, Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, represented by Dr. Ifeoma Ezeukwu, Head of the Pediatric Hemato-Oncology, acknowledged that the support would ease the financial and emotional burden on the beneficiaries' families.
Dr. Uduak Offiong, a Paediatrician at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, expressed gratitude to the foundation and donors for supporting underprivileged children with cancer.
Mrs. Linda Joseph, the mother of a five-year-old cancer survivor, Blessing, shared her gratitude for the foundation's support, which enabled her daughter to complete treatment for leukemia despite being abandoned by her husband.
Similarly, Mrs. Francesca Austin, the mother of a three-year-old cancer survivor, encouraged parents to seek medical intervention rather than resort to self-medication or traditional herbs, which might increase the risk to the child.
Other activities included the presentation of awards to notable partners and volunteers for their support, such as Jabi Lake Mall, The Elevation Church, Abuja Lion's Club, Silver Cross Hospital Foundation, and Nest of Hope Foundation, among others.