Joshua Omale, Research and Programs Associate at Slum and Rural Health Initiative Network, Innovation Council Member of Coalition Against Childhood Cancer (CAC2), shared on LinkedIn:
“There is something important about seeing the full childhood cancer ecosystem in one place.
Over the past week, I participated virtually in the 58th Congress of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology – SIOP.
What struck me about SIOP was the breadth of the conversation: tumor biology and genetics, precision medicine, clinical trials and diagnostics alongside epidemiology, early diagnosis, supportive and psychosocial care, survivorship, policy and global health.
That breadth stayed with me.
Scientific progress matters enormously. But so does
- whether a child is recognized early enough to benefit from it;
- whether the diagnostic pathway works;
- whether treatment is accessible and appropriate;
- whether families can remain in care;
- and whether the evidence shaping our decisions adequately represents children across different populations and health systems.
These are not separate conversations. They are parts of the same challenge.
I was also pleased to have our work at the Cancer Prevention and Care Initiative – CPCI represented through an accepted e-poster, ‘Youth-Led Community Advocacy to Improve Childhood Cancer Awareness and Early Detection in Jos, Nigeria.’
The work sits within a much larger question we continue to pursue:
‘How do we build pathways that move children from recognition and suspicion to timely diagnosis and appropriate care?’
I had hoped to be in San Antonio in person, with travel support from Childhood Cancer International, but visa restrictions meant participating virtually instead.
I remain grateful to CCI for the support and to SIOP for making continued participation possible.
I leave SIOP 2026 thinking increasingly about what must come beyond advocacy alone, and the work required to connect science, evidence, implementation and systems.
For me, that means deeper research training, stronger data, serious collaboration, and remaining intentionally engaged in the scientific communities working to understand childhood cancer and improve outcomes globally.
There is much to learn. And much to build.”
