Dr Shushan Hovsepyan, Candidate for the UICC Board of Directors for the 2026–2028 term and Senior Vice President of OncoDaily, shares a personal story of how Dr. Gevorg Tamamyan inspired her to pursue pediatric oncology and reflects on the lasting impact of his mentorship and patient-centered approach.
“I was just following virtually World Health Summit, and I am convinced again and again that there is no better person for the position of World Health Organization Director-General than Professor Gevorg Tamamyan.
During these days, I have heard and seen so many people, especially his mentees, sharing similar stories about him. How he sees the best in people, believes in them, and pushes them to achieve things they themselves thought were impossible.
I have many stories too, but I want to share just one.
Many years ago, I was starting my oncology rotation at Yeolyan Hematology and Oncology Center, Ministry of Health of Armenia.
I still remember how excited we were. Our professor was a Harvard Medical School alumnus and had a publication in Nature Portfolio, which was something very, very rare for us as students at that time. We were so excited that we even went to the Dean’s Office to make sure he would actually be our professor.
On the first day, around 15 of us were sitting in a small room. He had his notebook and pen, and instead of starting with tumor cells or cancer biology, he started asking each of us what specialty we wanted to choose after graduation.
When it was my turn, he asked,
‘Would you consider pediatric oncology?’
And without even a second of hesitation, I answered,
‘OMG, hell no! Even if I choose oncology, I will definitely go into adult oncology.’
And guess what happened? The rotation lasted only two weeks.
And by the end of those two weeks, I was absolutely sure that there was no other profession in the world I wanted to choose more than pediatric oncology.
That is what Gevorg Tamamyan does to people.
The vision, the way he treats patients, not only from a medical perspective but, most importantly, from a human one, was something I had never seen before. And to this day, I have never met anyone quite like him.
And I know I am just one of so many people whose lives and careers have changed because of him.
So yes, World Health Organization, you need him. The world needs him.
And most importantly, patients all over the world need him, because his North Star has always been patients.”
About Dr Shushan Hovsepyan
Dr Shushan Hovsepyan is a paediatric oncologist and global oncology leader with clinical and research experience across different countries. Dr. Hovsepyan is Senior Vice President of OncoDaily and Co-Editor-in-Chief of OncoDaily Medical Journal. She has been named a candidate for the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) Board of Directors for the 2026–2028 term. She is Co-Chair of the SIOP Global Health Network Research and Innovation Working Group, Innovation and Development Director at the Immune Oncology Research Institute, Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology at Yerevan State Medical University, and Co-Lead of the European Soft Tissue Sarcoma Group Rhabdoid Tumour Working Group. She also serves on the ASCO Annual Meeting Scientific Programme Committee for Paediatric Oncology.
She has been actively involved in global oncology, research capacity building, education, mentorship, and international collaboration, with a particular focus on paediatric oncology, rare tumours, research disparities, and cancer care in resource-limited settings. She also served as Co-Convenor of Global OncoThon and has received the Global Women in Healthcare Rising Star Award and the Young SIOP Rising Star Award.
About Dr Gevorg Tamamyan
Dr Gevorg Tamamyan, MD, MSc, PhD, DSc, FASCO, is a prospective candidate for the post of Director-General of the World Health Organization, nominated by the Republic of Botswana. He is a global leader in oncology, health systems strengthening, and international health cooperation, recognized for building bridges between countries and advancing equitable cancer care in resource-limited settings.
Dr. Tamamyan is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology at Yerevan State Medical University and CEO of the Immune Oncology Research Institute (IMMONC).
He is the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of OncoDaily, one of the world’s largest oncology media platforms, created to democratize access to reliable, independent, and evidence-based cancer information globally.
Dr. Tamamyan was elected and currently serves as President of two major international pediatric oncology organizations: the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) Asia Continental Branch, representing pediatric oncology professionals across Asia, and the Pediatric Oncology East and Mediterranean (POEM) Group, uniting 28 countries and 110 cancer centers. He also serves as Co-Chair of the St. Jude EURO Regional Advisory Committee, encompassing 13 European countries.
At the age of 31, Dr. Tamamyan was appointed Head of the Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Armenia, where he led the consolidation of previously fragmented pediatric oncology and hematology services into a single national center. Under his leadership, the Center evolved into a regional reference point, with survival rates reaching up to 80%.
He also co-founded City of Smile, a national pediatric cancer charity that helps ensure universal coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of every child and young adult with cancer in Armenia.
Dr. Tamamyan is Chairman of the Board of the Institute of Cancer and Crisis and an adviser to the Rector of Yerevan State Medical University. He previously served as President of the Harvard Club of Armenia.
Educated and trained across seven countries in Europe, North America, and Asia, his professional journey spans frontline clinical practice, research, academic leadership, national cancer center management, global health diplomacy, and institution building.
He is the recipient of numerous international awards and distinctions, including Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO); ASCO LIFe and IDEA Awards; UICC and IARC Young Leader Awards; the 40 Under 40 in Cancer Award; the Latin American and Caribbean Society of Medical Oncology (SLACOM) Award for Global Oncology Leadership; and the Global Health Catalyst Distinguished Leader Award.
He is married and has two daughters, Charlize and Letizia.
Read more about Dr. Gevorg Tamamyan’s WHO candidacy:
Dr Gevorg Tamamyan is Nominated as a Candidate for WHO Director-General Position
Watch HRH Princess Dina Mired’s interview with Dr. Gevorg Tamamyan: The Man Who Challenged Cancer Hierarchies
