#182 'Cancer does not stop for war', Dr. Susie Stanway Oncologist & Humanitarian

Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide.

 

People living in countries affected by conflict and war, as well as those in politically, socially, and economically fragile countries, experience worse cancer outcomes compared to more stable regions. Conflict and war result in displacement, destruction of physical infrastructure and supply chains, and the breakdown of healthcare systems. As a result, preventive measures and crucial health screenings often do not take place. For example, Sudan, which was once a hub for cancer care, has seen its healthcare facilities and access to treatment disrupted due to war and conflict.

 

One individual working to address this issue is Dr. Susie Stanway, a cancer specialist and guest of the Purposely Podcast. After a successful career as a consultant oncologist, Susie shifted her focus to becoming a cancer advocate and activist for countries affected by conflict. She has played a crucial role in connecting fragile countries to funding and cancer resources, including treatment, doctors, and research.

 

Motivated to bring about global change, Susie co-founded London Global Cancer Week, a series of meetings that provide a comprehensive understanding of the rising global incidence of cancer, the challenges posed by the cancer pandemic, and the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on existing cancer treatment and research. These meetings also focus on strengthening cancer prevention and control in emerging countries, with a particular emphasis on the UK's contribution.

Susie recognised that to bring about real change, she needed to go beyond the cancer world and influence people worldwide to understand the issue and help solve the problems. As a result, she collaborated with musicians to create a single titled 'More Than Fairy Tales,' which aims to raise funds for cancer care in war-torn Ukraine and Sudan. The money raised will be directed to the Challenge Fund, which supports organizations working on the ground to provide cancer care in these countries.

Musicians from around the world, including Sudanese and Ukrainian singers, as well as English singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner, 19-year-old singer-songwriter and producer Jasmine Foxall, and British rapper Blackk Chronical, have come together to release this single as part of a campaign to support those in need of cancer care in war zones.

 

More about Dr. Susie Stanway:

 

Dr. Susannah Stanway is a consultant medical oncologist in London, specializing in breast cancer. She founded and chaired the steering group of the “Cancer control in low- and middle- income countries” conference held annually since November 2016 that in 2019 became London Global Cancer Week. She has co-founded the UK and Ireland Global Cancer Network. She teaches in the UK on global oncology (for example on the ICR MSc Course, UCL Global Health MSc and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on the Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Course) and internationally.

She has received awards from the Global Challenges Research Fund to collaboratively contribute to research projects in sub-Saharan Africa. She sits on the ECO inequalities network and has historically been on the ESMO global policy committee. She is currently working with colleagues in several low- income countries and conflict zones to contribute to capacity building. She has recently studied Public Policy Analysis at the London School of Economics. Alongside reducing between-country cancer outcome inequalities she has interest in reducing within-country inequalities in the UK for example sitting on Breast Cancer now Inequalities Funding Committee, contributing to the recently published Health Policy Partnership toolkit (Inclusion by design: building equity in clinical trials through the lens of metastatic breast cancer) and advocating. She sits on the Development Board of Breast Cancer Now.

 

Source: London Global Cancer Week website