Pia Cox, Founder Pia Llou shared on LinkedIn:
“Quiet Leadership: Meet Professor Françoise Meunier.
I am incredibly happy to share another remarkable leader from my network.
Working in cancer, whether in Belgium or internationally, it is almost impossible not to know Professor Françoise Meunier. Her name has become synonymous with advocating for people affected by cancer-not only during treatment, but long after it has ended.
As former Director General of the EORTC – European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Professor Meunier has spent decades shaping cancer research and improving outcomes for patients across Europe. But what inspires me most is her relentless work to improve the lives of cancer survivors, challenging the discrimination they too often continue to face. Through her pioneering work on the Right to Be Forgotten, she has helped change laws and, more importantly, change lives.
When I asked Professor Meunier how she would describe herself, she answered:
‘I am a committed advocate for the survival and quality of life of individuals who have faced cancer and who, far too often, continue to experience discrimination.’
When asked what truly represents her, her answer was just as clear:
‘Determination and being results-oriented.’
Those words could not describe her better.
If there is one person who has fundamentally changed the lives of cancer survivors by taking on an issue that many considered too difficult, too complex, or simply impossible to solve, it is Professor Meunier. She has never been distracted by the many obstacles along the way. Instead, she has remained steadfast in her mission, always focused on achieving meaningful change for patients.
To me, this is leadership in action.
Not seeking the spotlight, but quietly changing systems. Not accepting that ‘this is how it has always been,’ but asking how it can be better-and then making it happen.
Professor Meunier is a true north star. A beacon of hope for cancer survivors, for those working in oncology, and for everyone who believes healthcare should be fairer and more equitable.
Her message is one we should all take to heart:
‘We must promote equity across the European Union – now more than ever.’
And she leaves us with one final thought-one that reflects everything she has worked for over the past decades:
‘Remember! The Right to Be Forgotten is not about compassion. It is not a privilege. It is a human right.’
Thank you, Professor Meunier, for reminding us that some of the most powerful leaders are those who quietly and relentlessly improve the lives of others, one change at a time.”
Françoise Meunier, Vice President of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium, and Founder of the European Initiative on Ending Discrimination Against Cancer Survivors, shared a post on LinkedIn by Pia Cox, adding:
“I am deeply grateful for these generous words and honoured to be featured in Pia Cox series on quiet leadership.
Throughout my career, I have remained guided by a simple conviction: surviving cancer should never result in a lifetime of discrimination.
The progress achieved on the Right to Be Forgotten demonstrates that determined advocacy can translate into meaningful legal and societal change. Yet our work is far from complete. Too many cancer survivors across Europe continue to face unequal access to insurance, mortgages and other financial services simply because of a cancer they have overcome.
The Right to Be Forgotten is not a matter of compassion, it is a matter of equality, dignity and fundamental human rights and we must continue working towards binding protections across the European Union.
It is with this objective that, on 21 October 2026, I will convene the High-Level Conference on ‘The Right to Be Forgotten as a Human Right: Ending Financial Discrimination Against Cancer Survivors’at the Fondation Universitaire in Brussels.
Read more about it on my website.”
Other articles featuring Françoise Meunier on OncoDaily.