Blog

Runcie C.W. Chidebe: The Importance of Patient Advocacy and Support in Cancer Conferences

Runcie C.W. Chidebe/LinkedIn

Jun 8, 2025, 07:58

Runcie C.W. Chidebe: The Importance of Patient Advocacy and Support in Cancer Conferences

Runcie C.W. Chidebe, Executive Director of Project PINK BLUE, posted on LinkedIn:

“At ASCO25 Presidential dinner, Dr Nazik Hammad introduced us to Elysia Bryan and Donnaree Nairn-Tucker, breast cancer survivors from Olive Branch of Hope- a patient advocacy and support group based in Canada.

I learnt that for over 20 years, The Olive Branch of Hope Cancer Support Services has been dedicated to supporting Black women affected by breast cancer. They provide help and information to newly diagnosed individuals and their families, offering support groups, educational seminars, and faith-based assistance. They also collaborate with researchers to identify genetic risk factors for triple-negative breast cancer, which disproportionately affects women of African ancestry.

Conferences and meetings such as ASCO25 are great opportunities for cancer survivors to be inspired by science, empowered to continue to speak up and motivated by the works of others. I was so delighted meeting these phenomenal sisters and learning about their great work. It’s exciting to see that Black cancer survivors’ voices are growing. Let’s do more.

Since attending the 2016 World Cancer Congress, I have made it a duty to always take cancer survivors to any cancer conference that I am invited to speak or involved in. In 2018, I was able to help one of my survivors to get a travel grant from the Breast Health Global Health Initiative in Seattle. Painfully, she could not get a visa. In 2019, I was invited to speak at ABC Conference and passed the opportunity to breast cancer survivor who traveled to Lisbon for the first time and she did an excellent job on the stage. In the subsequent years, I have supported or nominated many other cancer survivors to attend ASCO, ABC conference, PEOF, and many conferences across the world. In summary, it has always been a life-long experience. Their contributions to the sessions are always amazing. Upon returning home, they are always inspired to do more for advocacy and science.

Special thanks to organisations such ABC Global Alliance, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) for always providing travel grants to cancer patients and advocates to attend conferences. Your support is appreciated. Let’s do more. Thank you so much.”