The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition (Coalition) has announced the organization’s first global Ambassadors to help close gaps in ovarian cancer outcomes.
The Coalition in its efforts to raise awareness of ovarian cancer, tackle low health literacy, and empower women across the world to take action to improve equitable access to high-quality, affordable care for ovarian cancer.
According to the Coalition, the awareness will help to avert an estimated 4 million ovarian cancer deaths by 2040.
The majority of women, about 70% with the disease, live in low- and middle-income countries where access to basic medical care is severely limited by the lack of effective infrastructure, limited resources, geographic and cultural barriers.
While those in high-income countries often fare better overall, women often experience delays in diagnosis and there is vast variation in care resulting in inconsistent availability, access to, and usage of genetic testing, diagnostics, and the latest treatment options.
In her remarks, CEO of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Clara MacKay, noted that the need to make ovarian cancer a global priority is as urgent as ever.
“The gap between those who can access the best possible care and those who cannot is continuing to grow and will result in the tragic loss of millions more lives if we don’t take action now”
“Mrs. Nyong’o, Dr. Shinkafi-Bagudu, and Dr. Harkness are inspirational, passionate leaders who share our vision of a world where every woman with ovarian cancer has the best chance of survival and best quality of life possible wherever she may live. We are proud to partner with them to lead this call for action, inform the debate, and help educate women around the world about ovarian cancer.
Dorothy Nyong’o, First Lady of Kisumu County, Kenya; Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, M.D., First Lady of Kebbi State, Nigeria; and Deborah Harkness, Ph.D., U.S.- and U.K.- based historian and New York Times bestselling author. In their roles as Ambassadors, Mrs. Nyong’o, Dr. Shinkafi-Bagudu, and Dr. Harkness will support the Coalition in its efforts to raise awareness of ovarian cancer, tackle low health literacy, and empower women across the world to take action to improve equitable access to high-quality, affordable care for ovarian cancer.
Meanwhile, the First Lady of Kebbi State, and the Founder of Medicaid Cancer foundation(MCF), Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu in her remarks said: “I believe that we must be our sisters’ keepers and that when we come together, great things can happen.
“Through my work at the Union for International Cancer Control, my own Medicaid Cancer Foundation and now as World Ovarian Cancer Coalition Ambassador, I hope to add to the global conversation in addressing the gaps in the continuum of care”.
“Only through collaboration between advocates, policymakers, and the private sector will we accelerate change,” she stated.
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