Nigerian creative collective FRNDS CO., also known as Friends Collective, has facilitated screenings of ‘Swollen’, a documentary exploring the lived experiences of women navigating breast cancer in Nigeria.

‎With support from Nona Cancer Foundation, the screenings, held in Lagos and Abuja, brought audiences closer to the personal stories of women affected by the disease, creating opportunities for reflection and conversations about the emotional and social realities of breast cancer and its impact on individuals, families and communities.

‎Produced by Oluwatofunmi Adebayo and directed by co-founder of FRNDS CO., Oluwole Ola, ‘Swollen’ explores the human experiences behind a breast cancer diagnosis, highlighting the personal challenges faced by women navigating the disease.

‎The documentary is deeply personal to Ola, whose approach to storytelling is shaped by an interest in documenting overlooked experiences and translating them into meaningful social impact.

‎“With Swollen, we wanted to tell a story that goes beyond the medical realities of breast cancer to explore the lives, emotions, and experiences of the women navigating it. As filmmakers, we believe storytelling can create space for conversations that are often difficult to have and help people connect with experiences beyond their own.

‎“Bringing the documentary to audiences in Lagos and Abuja was an opportunity to deepen that conversation, encourage empathy and remind people that behind every diagnosis is a human story that deserves to be heard,” Ola said.

‎The screenings received support from Nona Cancer Foundation, whose involvement helped advance the project’s aim of bringing the experiences of women affected by breast cancer to wider audiences.

‎FRNDS CO. brings together filmmakers, photographers, writers and other creatives to develop projects exploring the intersections of people, culture, identity and social change. The collective’s work centres on meaningful storytelling and efforts to create tangible impact within the communities represented in its projects.

‎Beyond ‘Swollen’, the collective has been involved in Summit for Care, an initiative led by Adebayo, who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness and funds for Nigerian women battling breast cancer.

‎Through ‘Swollen’, FRNDS CO. continues to explore how personal stories can contribute to wider public conversations, helping audiences look beyond statistics to recognise the people and experiences behind critical health issues.