Hesham ElGhazaly, Elected President of the Executive Board at Egyptian Cancer Society, Professor of Clinical Oncology at Ain Shams University, and the Founder and CEO of Alfa Cure Oncology Center, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“When the world unite against cancer and transform a bold vision into reality, Cairo, Egypt became the stage for this historic moment. On 22 January 2026, during the 18th BGICC, leaders and advocates from across the global cancer community came together to share insights, coordinate efforts, and align strategies across the entire cancer continuum – from research, prevention to treatment and policymaking. This unprecedented gathering marked a significant step toward collective action in shaping the present and future of cancer care worldwide.
I was deeply honored to convene an exceptional Global Cancer organizations presidents Session, held under the patronage of the Khaled Abdel Ghaffar Deputy prime minister, Ministry of Health and Population – Egypt, bringing together global leaders who are actively shaping the future of cancer care worldwide.
It was a true privilege to welcome, in one place, HRH Princess Dina Mired, Elisabete Weiderpass, Lynn Schuchter, Julie Gralow, Giuseppe Curigliano,May Abdel-Wahab, Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, Thomas Eichler, Karen Kelly, Cesaltina Lorenzoni, Hope Rugo, Honorary President of BGICC, Jihui Hao, along with Humaid Al-Shamsi, Al Shamsi Burjeel, Adda Bounedjar, Heinz Josef Lenz, David Carbone, Sami Khatib,Eric Van Cutsem and other strategic leaders, the discussions went far beyond a traditional scientific session.
As Elisabete Weiderpass clearly articulated IARC’s vision, emphasizing that real advancement in cancer control must start with strong research foundations, supported by robust population data and real-world evidence, to ensure that scientific progress translates into meaningful and equitable impact.
Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu powerfully reminded us, Africa currently contributes only around 2% of global cancer research, much of it originating from Egypt and South Africa. This reality reinforced the urgency of elevating African leadership, research, and policy voices on the global stage.
HRH Princess Dina Mired captured the spirit of the session with a message that resonated deeply: if we are not invited to the table, we create our own table and invite the world. This is the essence of BGIICC – to bring the world to Africa and the MENA region, to listen, to collaborate, and to build sustainable partnerships that translate science into equitable care.
What made this gathering truly special was that the engagement did not stop at the session itself. All representatives contributed passionately to discussions throughout the conference days, demonstrating genuine commitment, openness, and a shared determination to drive meaningful change.
Grateful to every leader who joined us and believed in this vision. This is how collective action begins – and how cancer care can move forward, together.”
More posts featuring Hesham ElGhazaly.
