Artiste to assist children suffering from cancer through proceeds from exhibition

Israel told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the appeal became necessary because several members of the public were beginning to patronize arts exhibitions.

NAN reports that Israel from Ondo State is a dancer, singer, fine artiste, designer, ex-footballer, and an actor.

She advised artistes to organise more exhibitions and donate certain percentages from their proceeds to cater for children suffering from cancer.

She said that her organization would be organizing another arts exhibition in Lagos as part of its contribution to support children living cancer.

She said that the exhibition would hold in September at the Freedom Park, Lagos and proceeds from it would help support cancer children.

Israel recalled that the maiden edition was held in 2016 at the University of Lagos.
According to her, children suffering from cancer love to paint, adding that she noticed this when she visited some of them at the hospital.
“When you visit them; you will see a five-year-old child with cancer and bored with life; and you will wonder how this world can be so cruel.
“When I visited them in their hospital wards to do painting with them, they were always very happy to know that someone cared for them.

“They usually enjoyed such companionship.

“Most of them had stopped schooling but now patients at hospital wards because of their ill health,’’ she said.
She said that she decided to organise an arts exhibition so that the public could come to appreciate and buy them while proceeds from it would be used to support the patients.

“Eighty per cent of children with cancer in Nigeria die every second; we need to educate people about it through exhibition and other positive methods.

“And several of these children are aware that it is a terminal disease because they will give you a list of those that had died from the ailment in recent times anytime you pay them a visit.

“Also, the children I visited in their hospital wards lacked several necessities of life ranging from food to confectioneries, so that is why I want people to help them,’’ she said.

Israel also said that her organization had reached out to people from various walks of life, corporate bodies, parents, individual and some media houses.

She said that they had indicated their interests in participating in the project.

Israel, however, said that not only children living with cancer would display their artworks at the exhibition; children from other states would also be involved.

She said that a certain percentage of what people pay for art works bought would go to the children and some percentage to the owners of the works.
“We are planning this so as to create more awareness about the sickness among children  because the public tends to focus their attention more on adults,’’ she said.

She said that her organization had begun to receive supports from the Lagos State Government and some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that included the People Living with Cancer Foundation. (NAN)