Announcing a new cohort of Young Leaders in global cancer control

UICC is delighted to announce the 10 successful candidates for its 2023/2024 Young Leaders programme, which is celebrating this year its 10th anniversary. This competitive and prestigious initiative supports mid-career cancer control professionals with a proven track record and a multidisciplinary and collaborative outlook to expand their opportunities for international engagement and maximise their impact within the broader global or regional context.

The goal of the programme is to establish a robust pool of global cancer control leaders, who will have a lasting impact and drive transformative change for years ahead.

A record-breaking 377 applications were received from professionals across 86 countries. They were evaluated based on their track record, expertise, leadership skills, demonstrated impact on cancer control in their region or country and the potential benefit they will derive as Young Leaders. While the quality of the applications was foremost in the selection process, the final shortlist also considered geographical representation and diversity in terms of the types of profiles and organisations.

The newly announced cohort represents a broad global presence and encompasses a wide range of professional backgrounds and areas of focus, from nursing to health economics, and cervical cancer elimination to indigenous populations’ health.

Over the next year, Young Leaders will have the chance to attend UICC’s flagship global events – the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit in October 2023 in the US and the World Cancer Congress in September 2024 in Switzerland – engage in collaborative project work, hone their ability to drive change at the system level, and access other opportunities to raise their international profile.

Here's a brief look at the distinguished individuals chosen for this year's programme:

1. Amanda Drury, an Associate Professor in General Nursing from Dublin City University, Ireland, is committed to developing responsive cancer services. "Over the next ten years, I aspire to build a world-class research group to provide evidence to inform the development and implementation of integrated health services for cancer patients and survivors," she said.
2. Biniyam Deressa from Ethiopia, a Clinical Oncologist at Adama Hospital Medical College, aims to reduce disparities in access to quality care. He said, "My long-term ambition is to improve outcomes for underserved populations.”
3. Cherie Tulloch, Chairperson of the Cervical Cancer Task Force in Antigua and Barbuda, aims to improve the healthcare experiences of women affected by gynaecological cancers in the Caribbean. Tulloch plays a vital role in the implementation of the nation’s strategy to achieve cervical cancer elimination.
4. Kate Meerkerk from New Zealand focuses on achieving health equity for marginalised and indigenous populations, notably the Māori community. She aims to "utilise this experience to contribute to developing and implementing effective strategies that promote health equity and improve cancer outcomes."
5. Kate Simms of Australia specialises in modelling cervical cancer prevention strategies and seeks to "continue to leverage my expertise in mathematical modelling to help more countries reach the cervical cancer elimination goals outlined by the WHO."
6. Lily Gutnik, based in the United States, aims to eliminate breast cancer disparities among women of African ancestry. Her vision is "to be a surgeon-scientist working towards eliminating breast cancer disparities."
7. Nguyen Huong Giang, from Vietnam, seeks to promote health equity in cancer control. Her career vision is "to help close the care gap between countries."
8. Saleh Alessy from Saudi Arabia envisions strengthening national cancer control plans in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. He holds "a vision to translate research to strengthen national cancer control plans and policies in the GCC countries."
9. Samiratou Ouedraogo from Burkina Faso has her work oriented toward health equity and social justice. Her career vision is "to influence how cancer is perceived and controlled in Africa."
10. Sithabiso Masuku, based in South Africa, uses her skills as a health economist to improve health outcomes. She hopes "to create a sustainable research culture that can have a lasting impact on healthcare policy and outcomes in the region."

Learn more about the UICC's 2023-2024 Young Leaders'