Creating access to sustainable treatment and care for cancer begins with listening, learning, and partnering locally. Last week, we took a significant step in establishing a breast cancer program in Sierra Leone—where breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer, yet access to diagnosis and treatment remains extremely limited. Our visit was grounded in a relationship our Regional Head of Africa, Cathy Scheepers, formed at the 2022 UICC - Union for International Cancer Control Conference with Cremelda Parkinsons Pratt, the CEO of The Thinking Pink Breast Cancer Foundation, a dedicated local patient advocacy organization. That connection has grown into a powerful collaboration. During our time on the ground, we: 🤝🏾 Met with the Thinking Pink team and board 🏥 Engaged with Professor Babatunde Duduyemi, the Head of Pathology at Connaught Hospital who is committed to closing the diagnostics gap 🗣️ Participated in a stakeholder roundtable Thinking Pink hosted with representation from the Ministry of Health, oncologists, surgeons, pharmacists, pathologists, and advocates 💗 Joined community screening efforts by Thinking Pink, where five women were identified for further follow-up We are deeply grateful for the warm welcome and the shared commitment to building a unified, patient-centered breast cancer program. Together, we are working to overcome challenges like low health literacy, financial barriers, and the lack of diagnostic infrastructure. This is just the beginning, but it’s a beginning rooted in respect, collaboration, and hope 💓🌟 https://themaxfoundation.org/breastcancer/ #GlobalHealth #CancerCare #BreastCancerAwareness #BreastCancerTreatment #HealthEquity #TheMaxFoundation (fb)

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