Carolyn Taylor, Founder and Executive Director of Global Focus on Cancer (GFC), shared a post on LinkedIn:
“This month, The Lancet Group – The Lancet Oncology cover features the extraordinary Harmala Gupta, founder of CanSupport in India.
Harmala’s vision and tireless work in establishing one of the first palliative and supportive care organizations in India have inspired countless people – including me. Her legacy continues to remind us that psychosocial care and dignity must be at the center of cancer care.
I am deeply honored that my own images are being featured on every monthly cover of The Lancet Oncology in 2025. Yet this honor comes with a sobering reality: as the founder of a small NGO, I cannot access the journal myself. Subscription and publishing costs are prohibitive for most people with lived experience and for civil society organizations working in cancer care.
I know it is expensive to run a publication, but more equitable pricing strategies could make access possible for NGOs and PWLE-led organizations. Without this, our ability to educate ourselves, share evidence, and challenge inequities is curtailed – further suppressing our voices.
As we celebrate leaders like Harmala, let’s also recognize that honoring lived experience means ensuring access. Knowledge should not be locked away from those most affected. If we are to build equitable cancer systems, publishing must evolve to truly include us.”
More posts featuring Carolyn Taylor on OncoDaily.