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The First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, has welcomed the adoption of the Dogwood tree in Ghana to be named after the late childhood cancer ambassador, Breanna Fosua Addai.
The Dogwood tree is a beautiful flowering deciduous tree with distinctive flowers, berries, bark, and leaves, which blooms in the early to mid-spring; symbolising “birth” or “rebirth” in both spiritual and physical scenes.
The tree, which was named “Breanna Dogwood Tree” after the late childhood cancer ambassador, was brought from the United States (US) by Young People Travel (YPT) Global Edge and planted at the Oncology Unit of the Child Health Department, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dison International School, and Achimota Senior High School as part of her two-year anniversary commemoration.
The late Breanna was an international scholar who participated in the YPT Global Edge Youth Programme in the US.
As part of the commemoration, members of the YPT Global Edge, led by the Founder, Ms Sanya Weston, paid a courtesy on the First Lady, in Accra, last Wednesday, who commended them for their resilient effort in sharing the dreams of the late Breanna.
She said the tree would signify hope and strength for children living with cancer while serving as an awareness creation to combatting the disease and recounted an encounter she had with Breanna and the achievements she made within the short period of her life.
“Breanna was a beacon of hope, love and inspiration who fought cancer valiantly and advocated for and saved the lives of many children with cancer,” she added.
As part of the visit, the Executive Director of Breanna Foundation, Mr Solomon Addai, presented a seed of the Dogwood tree to the First Lady whiles the CEO of Hassy Beauty Parlour, Ms Asiatu Musah, committed to partnering the foundation and allocated a portion of the profits generated by its GLAM Body Scrubs to support children living with cancer.
The YPT Global Edge also paid a visit to Breanna Fosua Addai’s adopted ward at the Rebecca Akufo-Addo PICU, KBTH and donated GH¢10,000 in support of the ward and also pledged to pay $1,000 every year in support of the foundation.
The founder, Ms Weston said the gesture formed part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) to supporting the under-privileged communities and the well-deserving foundations that had made impact in society.
She explained that the Dogwood tree had been adopted in three states in the US – Virginia, North California and Missouri as the state flower or tree, stating that according to history, the tree was the one used to crucify Jesus.
She said because of its role in the crucifixion, the tree was both cursed and blessed by God that it would never grow large enough again for it to be used as crucifixion and would produce beautiful flowers each spring just in time for Easter.
Mr Solomon Addai, expressed gratitude to the YPT Global Edge for the honour done him and said the tree would symbolise hope for the resurrection of children who had lost their lives to childhood cancer and to inspire hope, strength and resilience for those battling the disease.
A Pediatric Oncologist at KBTH, Dr Lilly Gloria Tagoe, who spoke on behalf of the Head of the Oncology Unit, Professor Lorna Renner, thanked the group and Breanna Foundation for their continuous support in the fight against childhood cancer in the country
BY VIVIAN ARTHUR
