Isabel Mestres: Salute the “Sherlock Holmes” of Cancer Care coming from our cities and Beyond
Isabel Mestres, CEO of the City Cancer Challenge (C/Can), shared a post on LinkedIn:
“This morning, while dropping my kids off at school, I couldn’t help but share my excitement. “Today I’ll be welcoming pathologists from City Cancer Challenge cities and global experts to Geneva to a really important workshop”. Predictably, a question from my daughter, “Mami, what’s a pathologist?”
I paused for a second, thinking about how I could explain such extraordinary work to such a young mind. “Pathologists are like heroes in the shadows. You don’t see them, but they’re the ones who help doctors understand what’s really happening inside your body. They are in labs studying tiny clues—cells, tissues, even blood—to figure out what’s wrong and how to fix it. They’re the ones who give doctors the answers they need to help people get better.”
My daughter smiled and exclaimed, “So, they’re like Sherlock Holmes!”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Exactly! Pathologists may not always be visible, but without them, we wouldn’t have the answers we need to fight diseases like cancer”
This week, I’m honored to host a workshop in our offices with pathology experts from across our cities and our longstanding partner, the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Over the next few days, we’ll celebrate the incredible progress made in C/Can cities, exchange lessons learned, and map out the future of pathology projects to move from outputs to real, impactful outcomes.
Across all C/Can cities, pathology has emerged as a critical area of focus. Projects range from strengthening training and capacity to implementing quality standards. Our mission is clear: to upgrade, scale, and ensure equitable access to pathology services, so that these behind-the-scenes heroes have the tools and support they need to save more lives.
So today, I salute the “Sherlock Holmes” of cancer care coming from our cities and beyond—Adjei Ernest, Mónica Ruiz Ballón, Jane Brock, Armaz Mariamidze, Von Samedi, Subashini Thambiah and our dearest Beatriz Hornburg.
Together we are solving mysteries and transforming cancer care one clue at a time.”
Isabel Mestres is the CEO of the City Cancer Challenge (C/Can), previously being the Director of Global Public Affairs. She also led initiatives in membership and partnership development at the International Union for Cancer Control. Mestres’ strategic sense positions her to propel C/Can forward, advancing its mission of enhancing cancer care accessibility in low- and middle-income nations.
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