As we welcome the month of October, I join the global health community in observing Breast Cancer Awareness Month under the World Health Organization theme Every Story is Unique, Every Journey Matters, which reminds us that behind every diagnosis lies an individual journey of courage, resilience and hope, while also compelling us to confront the profound inequities in geography, income and access to care that too often determine whether that journey leads to survival or to loss.

During the 80th United Nations General Assembly last week, I had the privilege of being interviewed by Rumbi Chakamba, Senior Editor at Devex, to reflect on the urgent need to close disparities in breast cancer outcomes, and in my capacity as a member of the AstraZeneca Global Breast Cancer Care Council and contributor to the Breast Cancer Care Quality Index (BCCQI), I highlighted the importance of harnessing robust, data-driven instruments to benchmark progress, illuminate systemic inequities, guide the formulation of evidence-based reforms, and accelerate coordinated action at both national and global levels to deliver equitable, high-quality care and improved survival for women everywhere.

Globally, over 2.3 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and 670,000 lives are lost. While survival rates exceed 90% in high-income countries, they fall below 40% in much of Africa, including Nigeria, where breast cancer now accounts for nearly one in four cancer diagnoses among women.

Through my Wellbeing Foundation Africa, we continue to champion patient navigation for early detection, timely diagnosis and comprehensive treatment in Nigeria, aligning our efforts with the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative’s 60–60–80 targets and reaffirming our commitment to ensuring that every woman can access the standards of care that protect life and uphold dignity.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let us honour every unique story, support every journey, and work together to ensure equitable, compassionate, and high-quality care for all.

Read the Interview>>