The Remi & Lara Olowookere Foundation has broken ground for the construction of the Lara Olowookere Specialist Hub (LOSH), a specialist Oncology Support and Advocacy facility being donated to Lagos State Ministry of Health sited at Gbagada General Hospital in Lagos, in memory of the late Mrs. Lara Olowookere.
The groundbreaking ceremony, held to coincide with Lara Olowookere’s 70th posthumous birthday, brought together members of the foundation, health professionals, donors, government representatives, hospital management and other dignitaries.
Lara died in a London hospital in 2014 following a battle with cancer.
Speaking on the project, the Foundation Director, Mr. Daniel Olowookere, said LOSH was conceived as a specialist hub that would work closely with the Lagos State Health Commission and Gbagada General Hospital to strengthen Oncology and Gynaecology services and respond to the growing burden of cancer-related conditions.
Olowookere said the vision was to establish a Hub where cancer care would go beyond treating the disease to addressing the needs of the individual patient.
According to him, LOSH would promote personalised treatment pathways based on evidence, compassion, and the unique circumstances of every patient.
He said the need for such a facility had become urgent, given the increasing cancer burden in Nigeria and the challenges confronting patients, including late presentation, limited access to specialist care, diagnosis, treatment and continuity of care.
He said LOSH was intended to become part of the solution to these challenges.
Beyond clinical services, Olowookere said the Hub would provide a platform for cancer advocacy, clinical trials, and research, particularly into cancers affecting the West African population.
He explained that locally relevant research could generate evidence on genetics, environmental factors, lifestyle, and disease patterns while helping to inform practical health policies.
He added that LOSH would embrace intelligent treatment approaches and integrative pathways designed to complement conventional oncology. Where clinically appropriate and supported by evidence, the Hub aims to facilitate access to advanced treatments such as TACE, targeted therapies, and CyberKnife treatment, alongside less invasive supplementary intravenous therapies.
Olowookere stressed that the philosophy of the Hub would be holistic, with attention paid not only to the tumor but also to the physical, emotional, and practical realities faced by patients.
He said LOSH would help patients understand their treatment options, navigate their healthcare journeys, and, where possible, maintain dignity, strength, and hope.
He described the groundbreaking as the beginning of a promise rather than the opening of LOSH, saying the project represented a commitment to Lara, cancer patients, communities and future generations of Nigerians who deserve increasingly specialised, personalised, innovative and compassionate healthcare.
In his remarks, the Founder of the Remi & Lara Olowookere Foundation, Elder Remi Olowookere, said the project was born out of painful personal experience following the loss of his wife, Lara.
He said the experience strengthened his resolve to contribute to efforts aimed at improving access to quality healthcare in society.
A keynote address titled “The Burden of Cancer in Nigeria and Our Response” was delivered by Dr. Omolola Salako, Radiation Oncologist and Founder of Sebecely Cancer Center, Lagos.
Dr. Salako urged Nigerians to prioritise testing as a means of reducing the rate of cancer fatalities in the country.
According to her, the best way to confront the menace of cancer is to discover it on time and institute adequate management processes.
A brief memorial Thanksgiving service was also held in honour of late Deaconess Lara Olowookere at the event.
Earlier, before the Thanksgiving service, Elder Olowookere, assisted by dignitaries and donor, performed the symbolic turning of the soil at the project site.
Members of the foundation in attendance included Pastor Seyi Adeyemi, Chairman of the board of trustees; Dr. (Mrs.) Folasade Onajobi, Wahid Enitan Oshodi Esq, Mrs. Funmi Ekundayo, Pastor Osamudiamen Ivbanikaro-Isaac, Secretary; Mrs. Abimbola Igeleke and Mrs. Chinwe Ojukwu member of the planning committee.
Other dignitaries who were at the event included Professor and Mrs. Ayodeji Oluleye, Dr. and Mrs. Solomon Alao, representatives of the Health Services Commission; Dr. Olukayode Oguntimeyin; including the immediate past Medical Director of Gbagada General Hospital, Dr Olusegun Babafemi, Dr Oseni Saliu Olugbenga who is the current Medical Director of the Hospital and members of the Hospital Management Council of Gbagada General Hospital.
