For seven days, Caleb Nii Okai pushed through pain, exhaustion and challenging weather to complete a 240-kilometre run from Accra to Kumasi, carrying a message about breast cancer awareness and the importance of early screening.
Popularly known as Nii the Menace, the endurance athlete undertook the challenge to encourage women to pay attention to their breast health and seek medical advice when necessary.
Starting from the Balme Library at the University of Ghana, Legon, he made his way towards the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.
But for Nii the Menace, the journey was about more than completing a gruelling physical challenge.
“I am really passionate when it comes to mothers and women. If not for them, we wouldn’t be here. I felt breast cancer is serious, and I needed to run for a good cause, promoting breast cancer awareness,” he told David Akuetteh on Luv FM.
Over the seven days, Caleb covered an average of 35 to 40 kilometres daily, spending hours on the road as he moved towards Kumasi.
Along the route, he interacted with communities and used his journey to spread awareness about breast cancer and the importance of seeking appropriate medical advice.
“At least a mother or sister will see my videos and go get screened. I believed through my effort someone will visit the hospital and get screened,” he said.
The journey, however, came with significant challenges.
Hilly terrain, harsh weather, dangerous roads and periods without drinking water tested his physical strength and mental resilience.
“The journey was scary. I was in so much pain as well. The weather wasn’t conducive. At some point, I wasn’t even getting water. Apart from the road being dangerous, it had its own challenges,” he said.
There were moments when abandoning the challenge seemed tempting, but he said the purpose behind the run kept him going.
“I felt like stopping so many times, but I refused to because I know that there is a mother out there who would want to hear my message,” he said.
The Accra-to-Kumasi challenge is one of several endurance runs Caleb has undertaken in recent months, including an earlier journey to Cape Coast.
Away from running, he has interests in boxing, finance and economics.
His latest challenge comes amid continuing concerns about breast cancer in Ghana, where late diagnosis remains a major public health challenge.
For Caleb, the hope is that his seven-day journey will encourage more women to pay attention to their breast health and seek medical care when necessary.
The 240-kilometre run may be over, but he hopes its message will travel much further — just like his journey from Ga to Asanteman.