Dicey Scroggins Distinguished Advocate Award

Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu
Nigeria

Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu MBBS MRCPCH is a global expert in cancer care. She's a paediatrician and founder of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation (MCF).

Under her leadership, MCF has grown into a significant provider of free access to cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment support. The foundation has increased awareness by 25.8% since 2008, reduced late-stage cancer presentations, and provided affordable treatment options.

Dr. Bagudu holds numerous leadership roles nationally and internationally. She serves as a Senior adviser on Women’s health and cancer to the Minister of Health, co-chairs the Nigerian Cervical Cancer Elimination task force and has been elected thrice to the board of directors for the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). Further, she contributes to the advisory board of the Global Initiative Against HPV and Cervical Cancer (GIAHC), coalition to strengthen the HPV community (CHIC) and is a global Ambassador for World Ovarian Cancer Coalition.

In her role as First Lady of Kebbi State, Nigeria (2015-2023), Dr. Bagudu spearheaded partnerships between WHO, CHAI, Medicaid and Kebbi State government to screen and treat 40, 000 women for cervical cancer. She also facilitated free HPV vaccinations for schoolgirls.

Using her social capital, she advocated for introducing HPV vaccine to Nigeria. This was finally achieved in 2023 and thus far, 13 million Nigerian girls have received the vaccine.

Annie Ellis
USA

Annie Ellis is a survivor of recurrent ovarian cancer and breast cancer, and a past clinical trial participant. She has provided peer support through SHARE Cancer Support and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Patient to Patient program with a focus on shared decision-making in the recurrent setting, including consideration of clinical trial participation, and serves as a research advocate for Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA).

Annie serves with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as Chair of the Council of Research Advocates (NCRA), was a former Co-chair of the Patient Advocate Steering Committee, a past member of the Gynecologic Cancer Steering Committee and as a patient advocate with two Specialized Program Of Research Excellence (SPORE) programs. Annie's 15+ years of experience as a research advocate also includes service with FDA, CDMRP/DoD Ovarian Cancer Research Program programmatic panel, ASCO guidelines, Conquer Cancer grant review, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, OCRA’s Scientific Advisory Committee and Rising Tide for Clinical Cancer Research.

Annie is committed to increasing inclusion of diverse perspectives in research activities. She is also involved in encouraging and empowering patients to serve as advocates in all research spaces and eager to share the lessons learned from Mary “Dicey” Jackson Scroggins which continue to guide her efforts.

The Eve Appeal
United Kingdom

Organizational biography as provided by The Eve Appeal.

The Eve Appeal is the UK’s leading gynaecological cancer charity. We fund research and raise awareness for the prevention and earlier detection of the five gynaecological cancers – womb, ovarian, cervical, vulval and vaginal. Our mission is to detect at the earliest stage and wherever possible, prevent these cancers and save lives. We do this by funding ground-breaking research focused on developing effective methods of risk prediction, earlier detection and developing screening for all the gynae cancers. We educate about gynae health, so women and people with gynae organs know their bodies, can spot when something changes and know the signs and symptoms of the five gynae cancers to get checked. We offer free, confidential, and expert advice and information through our nurse-led information service, Ask Eve, to support and empower people to advocate for their gynae health.

People affected by gynae cancers, either directly or through someone they know, are at the heart of everything we do at The Eve Appeal. Their voices are critical and must be heard. We work with them and our other partners, including medical professionals, researchers and our supporters, to do more. We are, as always, extremely grateful to them for their ongoing support to help make gynae cancers diseases of the past.

Eve is here for everyone who is it risk of developing a gynaecological cancer, who has concerns about their own gynae health or who cares about someone who is affected

Click the icons below to learn more about The Eve Appeal.

Ovarcome
USA

Organizational biography as provided by Ovarcome.

We are Ovarcome. We are an ovarian cancer foundation with the mission to raise global awareness, to fund breakthrough research, and to provide financial, psycho-social and informational assistance to our Ovarcomers and their families. We serve with the vision of Ovarcoming Ovarian Cancer, Celebrating Life and bringing hope and support to our global teal community.

Our unique and differentiated programs serve the holistic needs of those we serve. We keep the power to hope and heal on our side and we work to empower our community of patients and survivors, globally. That is why we coined the term Ovarcomer – strong and empowered!

We created the B.E.A.C.H. symptoms of Ovarian Cancer that has helped raise awareness in millions globally on the 5 KEY symptoms of ovarian cancer.

B = Bloating

E = Early Satiety or feeling full quickly

A = Abdominal &/or Pelvic Pain

C = Changes in Bowel/Bladder Habits

H = Heightened Fatigue

All our programs and services are free for Ovarcomers worldwide. Our OvarCare patient assistance program is celebrating 10 years of impact this year, in partnership with over 425 hospitals in the US. Visit our website to learn about the thoughtfully created layers of support we provide to create the most meaningful impact - awareness, information, education, assistance, empowerment, support, counseling, community, friendships and Ovarcoming Together.

We hope for a world without the scourge of ovarian cancer. Our Ovarcomers inspire and uplift one another each day - this is how #WeOvarcome!

Click the icons below to learn more about Ovarcome.