Since August 26, 2023, Women’s Equality Day in the United States has marked the beginning of a special OncoDaily tradition – the 100 Influential Women in Oncology. On this day, we launched an initiative to recognize 100 inspiring women making a difference in oncology around the world, highlighting 10 remarkable women each week.
And this year, we’re continuing the journey with our 2026 list of 100 Influential Women in Oncology, showcasing the remarkable efforts made by these inspiring women across the world to improve cancer care.
There are so many incredible women in oncology whose work deserves to be seen and celebrated, and we know that one list can never include everyone. This is an ongoing initiative, and we’d love to hear your suggestions for the 100 Influential Women in Oncology in 2026 list. We’ll be sharing the nomination link soon.
We are proud to introduce the next 10 women featured in our 2026 list of 100 Influential Women in Oncology:
Princess Dina Mired
HRH Princess Dina Mired of Jordan is one of the world’s most prominent cancer-control advocates and a former President of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), becoming the first Arab to lead the organization. She previously led the King Hussein Cancer Foundation for nearly 15 years, transforming it into a major cancer fundraising and advocacy institution, and helped establish Jordan’s national breast cancer early-detection efforts. She has received the WHO World No Tobacco Day Award in 2021 and the IARC Medal of Honour for her global cancer advocacy.
She is the Honorary President of the EORTC Cancer Research Fund and currently hosts “Global Health Dialogues with Princess Dina”, a podcast featuring conversations with leaders and experts across oncology and global health.
Ziroat Mirziyoyeva
Ziroat Mirziyoyeva is the First Lady of Uzbekistan and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Zamin International Public Foundation, with a major focus on improving childhood cancer care and reducing disparities in survival. Through partnerships with WHO and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, she has supported Uzbekistan’s participation in the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer and the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, strengthening access to quality-assured medicines, standardized treatment protocols, professional training, and earlier diagnosis.
In 2025, she helped bring childhood cancer to the global political stage at a UN General Assembly high-level event, advocating for the international goal of achieving at least 60% childhood cancer survival by 2030.
Aigul Japarova
Aigul Japarova is the First Lady of Kyrgyzstan and an advocate for strengthening childhood cancer care in the country. She has supported Kyrgyzstan’s participation in the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, serving as patron of a major national workshop that brought together WHO, the IAEA, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, SIOP, and international cancer centers to improve pediatric oncology services.
These efforts have accompanied major advances in Kyrgyz pediatric oncology, including specialized units in Bishkek and Osh, updated treatment protocols, workforce training, and expanded resources for children with cancer.
Eileen O’Reilly
Eileen M. O’Reilly, MD, FASCO is an internationally recognized gastrointestinal oncologist and Winthrop Rockefeller Endowed Chair of Medical Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she co-directs the David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research and leads the HPB and Neuroendocrine Cancers Section. In 2026, O’Reilly led a phase 3 clinical trial of the KRAS-targeted therapy daraxonrasib in pancreatic cancer, research that contributed to the FDA approval of the drug for metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Her contributions have been recognized with the 2023 Giants of Cancer Care Award, election as Fellow of ASCO in 2024, and MSK’s 2025 Willet F. Whitmore Award for Clinical Excellence.
Catharine Young
Catharine Young is a global cancer-policy leader who previously served as Assistant Director for Cancer Moonshot Policy and International Engagement at the White House, helping shape U.S. and international cancer strategies and major cross-sector commitments. She played a key role in expanding the Biden Cancer Moonshot’s global agenda, including international partnerships and the Quad Cancer Moonshot, and helped initiate work toward a new global mechanism for financing cancer care.
Now a Senior Fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Young is leading development of the Global Cancer Financing Platform, designed to mobilize sustainable investment for equitable cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment in low- and middle-income countries. She is also a Presidential Leadership Scholar. In 2025, she was recognized with the Yvonne Award for Leadership by OncoDaily.
Felicia Knaul
Felicia Knaul is a health economist, global cancer-control advocate, and Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Public Policy at UCLA, where she serves as Associate of the Chancellor and Director of Global Health at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. A breast cancer survivor, she founded Tómatelo a Pecho in Mexico to advance women’s health and breast cancer control and helped establish the Global Task Force on Expanded Access to Cancer Care and Control, which helped put equitable cancer treatment in low- and middle-income countries on the global health agenda.
She currently co-chairs The Lancet Commission on Cancer and Health Systems, continuing her work on cancer equity, health-system strengthening, palliative care, and access to treatment worldwide.
Delta Goodrem
Delta Goodrem AM is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and Hodgkin lymphoma survivor who has used her public platform for more than two decades to support cancer care and research. Diagnosed at age 18, she later established the Delta Goodrem Foundation, which partners with St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney to fund research and clinical fellowships in cellular therapies for blood cancers, including lymphoma.
As Patron of The Kinghorn Cancer Centre and an ambassador for St Vincent’s, she has helped support fundraising efforts exceeding $120 million, including a campaign that raised $7.3 million for a new haematology, blood and marrow transplant ward. Goodrem has turned her own cancer experience into sustained support for research, healthcare professionals, and patients affected by blood cancers.
Yizhuo Zhang
Yizhuo Zhang, MD, PhD is a pediatric oncologist and Professor and Director of Pediatric Oncology at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. She as been a pioneer in bringing novel drug development and clinical trials into pediatric oncology in China, leading or participating in more than 20 national and international multicenter studies. Her research spans targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and precision medicine for childhood cancers, including neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and NTRK-fusion tumors.
Zhang also holds leadership roles within Chinese pediatric oncology organizations and serves as a SIOP Asia Country Ambassador for China, helping strengthen collaboration in childhood cancer research and care across the region.
Fatima Cardoso
Fatima Cardoso, MD, MSc, FESMO, is an internationally renowned breast oncologist and President and founder of the Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC) Global Alliance. She currently serves as Head of Clinical Trials, Scientific Affairs and International Development in Breast Oncology at Centre Antoine Lacassagne in Nice, after founding and directing Portugal’s first certified Breast Unit at the Champalimaud Centre.
Cardoso created the ABC International Consensus Conference and Guidelines, which have helped standardize care for advanced breast cancer globally, while her advocacy has focused strongly on access, inequalities, and the needs of people living with metastatic disease. She is recognized with the 2022 ESMO Women for Oncology Award and Portugal’s Order of Santiago da Espada for Scientific Merit.
Miriam Mutebi
Miriam Mutebi is a breast surgical oncologist, health-systems researcher, and Assistant Professor at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi. She serves on the UICC Board of Directors, is Immediate Past President of AORTIC, and co-chairs Kenya’s National Cancer Taskforce, while also chairing the Commonwealth Taskforce for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer. A co-founder of the Pan-African Women’s Association of Surgeons, Mutebi has become a leading advocate for expanding access to quality cancer surgery, strengthening oncology systems, and mentoring women surgeons across Africa. In recognition of her work in cancer equity and patient care, she received the 2024 ASCO Humanitarian Award.
The third group of 10 women featured in OncoDaily’s 100 Influential Women in Oncology 2026 brought together another group of remarkable women making a difference across the field of oncology. We will continue next week with the next 10 women on the list, sharing more stories of women whose work is making a difference in oncology around the world and don’t forget to nominate a someone you would like to see in OncoDaily 100.
Don’t miss Part 1 and Part 2 of 100 Influential Women in Oncology in 2026: Key Opinion Leaders in Social Media and Beyond!
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