Gevorg Tamamyan, Editor-in-Chief of OncoDaily, and the President of SIOP Asia and POEM Group, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Sitting now near the gates of the airport, about to take my flight back home – from Abuja, Nigeria.
It was my first time in this beautiful country, and I am certain it will not be my last. I feel it will become a habit to return.
There is a profound difference between making change when all the means are available and making change when resources are scarce, when every step forward requires courage, creativity, and persistence. Nigeria teaches this lesson powerfully.
If I were to describe these four days in just two words, they would be changemakers and kindness.
Changemakers, because this is how I would describe the people I met here.
Kindness, because this is how I would describe everyone I encountered.
Above all, I want to acknowledge my dear friend, Her Excellency Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu.
With limited resources, in a country of more than 240 million people and countless challenges, she raises her voice relentlessly – for cancer patients, for professionals, for families. Quietly, steadily, she moves things forward. She organizes marches so people know cancer exists. She builds capacity where there was none. She supports cancer professionals when they need it most.
Most importantly, she has built a remarkable team of doers, and gave them the most powerful gift of all: the courage to dream, and to dream big.
She became the first African elected President of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), the world’s largest cancer organization. You could feel the pride across the entire team and the cancer community. You could see the motivation in their eyes.
Thank you, Your Excellency, for everything you do – for your leadership, your friendship, and your unwavering support. I am deeply honored to be your friend.
This is the first of several reflections I will share about my visit to Nigeria. More to come.”
More posts featuring Gevorg Tamamyan.