Isabel Mestres: Women Deserve Better
“WOMEN DESERVE BETTER. Women face barriers to quality cancer care for many reasons, but one of them is simply BECAUSE of who they are. Here are just a few challenges women face around the world:
1. Because women earn less and have financial dependency, they can’t afford medical costs.
2. Because women are the primary caregivers, they prioritize their loved ones’ health over their own.
3. Because of gender bias in healthcare, women’s health concerns are often deprioritized.
4. Because stigma surrounding cancer, especially breast and reproductive cancers, discourages them from seeking care.
5. Because women are underrepresented in health policy and decision-making roles.
6. Because clinic hours often conflict with women’s work and caregiving schedules.
BECAUSE, BECAUSE, BECAUSE… WOMEN DESERVE BETTER.
Let’s work together to break down these barriers and ensure equitable cancer care for all women.
Thank you to ALL City Cancer Challenge partners who are supporting our journey towards gender equity in Cancer Care. Specially Amgen, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Roche and Siemens Healthineers.
Source: The Lancet Comission: Women, Power and Cancer.”
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.