Oncothon: Barriers to pediatric cancer treatment in low and middle-income countries

Oncothon is a global telethon spanning 24 hours, dedicated to gathering donations for childhood cancer research. Herein, speakers will discuss challenges in cancer treatment in low and middle-income countries.

Speakers

Dr. Rawad Rihani holds several key positions at King Hussein Cancer Center in Amman, Jordan, including Deputy Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics and Consultant in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Transplantation. Additionally, she serves as an Associate Professor at the University of Jordan’s Faculty of Medicine and acts as a liaison for the collaboration between King Hussein Cancer Center and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Dr. Rihani is deeply committed to advancing pediatric oncology care, particularly in underserved communities and among refugee populations at her region. She collaborates with various institutions to establish and improve Pediatric Oncology Units and provides crucial training to healthcare professionals. Dr. Rihani advocates for holistic approaches to address systemic challenges, with the goal of improving survival rates and outcomes for children with cancer globally.

Professor Scott Howard is the CEO of Resonance, an organization devoted to advancing global health through research, education, and technology. With over two decades of experience in internal medicine, pediatrics, and epidemiology, he has specialized in pediatric oncology, particularly in supportive care, informatics, and international oncology efforts.

He founded Resonance in 2015. He has co-founded global networks focusing on leukemia and neuroblastoma research and has actively participated in global health initiatives such as the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer.

Dr. Howard is the Deputy Director of the Yeolyan Hematology and Oncology Center (Armenia) and Global Development Officer at the Hospital San Joan de Deu Barcelona (Spain).

Howard’s involvement in global health extends to co-founding the Acute Leukemia Research and Care Network and the Global Neuroblastoma Network, fostering collaboration among clinicians and researchers across continents. He has served as the General Secretary of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology and as Chairman of the Board of World Child Cancer USA.

He played a pivotal role in the evolution of the Pediatric Oncology in Developing Countries working group into SIOP Global Health, overseeing 12 working groups. Over 15 years, he directed clinical research and capacity building for the St. Jude International Outreach Program, establishing a research network across Central America.

His research interests span genomics, pharmacogenomics, big data, information systems, and point-of-care informatics, all aimed at enhancing patient care and global access to essential medications.

Moderator

Shushan Hovsepyan, Dr. Shushan Hovsepyan is a pediatric oncologist and adjunct assistant professor at the Yerevan State Medical University, and a coordinator of research at the Yeolyan Hematology and Oncology Center of Armenia. She is the Edit0r-in-chief of the OncoDaily Medical Journal.

OncoThon: Barriers to pediatric cancer treatment in low and middle-income countries

00:15 – Introduction
1:55 – Scott Howard
6:41 – Rawad Rihani
12:03 – Discussion

About OncoDaily

OncoDaily was founded in 2023. It is a US-based oncology media platform, which features the latest news, insights, and patient stories from the world of oncology. Within a short period of time it became one of the leading oncology media platforms globally.

OncoDaily gathers content from various sources, including social media posts from renowned oncologists from all over the world, news from oncology societies and cancer centers, patient and survivor stories, and career-related information for professionals.

The mission of OncoDaily is to empower patients, survivors, and professionals with the knowledge and inspiration they need to fight cancer. The motto of OncoDaily is “Cancer doesn’t take a day off – neither do we”.