Eva-Maria Strömsholm (Finland) has been selected as one of three recipients of the 2025 Dicey Scroggins Distinguished Advocate Award, in recognition of her extraordinary commitment to gynecologic cancer advocacy and patient-centered care. 

A survivor of dysgerminoma, a rare ovarian cancer diagnosed at just 27, Eva-Maria has transformed her personal experience into a lifelong mission to improve outcomes for women affected by gynecologic cancers—particularly those facing rare diagnoses. Her resilience and unwavering positivity have inspired patients, clinicians, and advocates around the world. 

Eva-Maria brings both professional and personal insight to her advocacy, drawing on her experience as a nurse to inform her compassionate and practical approach. She actively collaborates with major international organizations, including the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO/ENGAGe), the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition (WOCC), ERN EURACAN, WHO/IARC, and IGCS, among others. 

Among her many contributions, Eva-Maria has played a key role in: 

  • Co-founding the Finnish Association of Gynaecological Cancer Patients 
  • Developing patient information leaflets for rare gynecologic cancers, now published by EURACAN. 
  • Advancing the “Diagnosis Curator” model to support patients shortly after diagnosis. 
  • Serving on numerous global working groups to improve cancer care and patient inclusion in research and policymaking. 

She is also Chair of the Nordic Gynecological Cancer Patient Organisation Network (NGPO) and a respected voice for patients across Europe and beyond. In her home country of Finland, the jury of the Citizen’s Forum honored her with the title, “Volunteer of the Year” in 2022 for her voluntary work in the cancer field and for cancer patients. 

Eva-Maria exemplifies the spirit of this award through her passion, leadership, and tireless efforts to ensure that all gynecologic cancer patients—no matter how rare their diagnosis—are heard, supported, and empowered.