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Dicey Scroggins Fund for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We are thrilled to announce the recipients of the Dicey Scroggins Fund for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Gynecologic Cancer Patient Outreach for 2024. The fund, established to support innovative projects fostering inclusivity and addressing disparities in gynecologic cancer patient outreach and care, initially supported three outstanding initiatives from our 2023 EDI Fund inaugural cycle.

The IGCS received 52 competed proposals during our application period. The proposals were reviewed and scored by members of the IGCS Advocacy Committee which includes both clinicians and patient advocates/survivors. The scoring criteria ensured that the projects selected for funding would meet the main objective of the fund to promote inclusion and health equity in service of underrepresented populations. Additional considerations included quality and strength of concept proposed, feasibility, outcome measurability, and the impact of the project at the end of the funding period given award received.

These three selected projects will receive financial support to further their initiatives, contributing to the fund's overarching mission of fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion in gynecologic cancer patient outreach.

2024 Grant Recipients

Project Lead: Mr. Runcie Chidebe
Organization: Project PINK BLUE – Health and Psychological Trust Center
Target Population: Women living with gynecological cancer in Gwagwalada, Nigeria

In Nigeria, more than 50% of women with cancer experience severe pain, and most of them die in pain. In a country where over 98% of women present advanced breast and cervical cancer at diagnosis, pain is always present; however, pain management is rarely available, accessible, and affordable for women who live in rural and marginalized communities. Pain management and palliative care are crucial for improving the quality of life, yet dedicated pain management units are only in less than 50% of oncology centers in the country. With our proposed initiative, known as “Count Me In”: Pain & Palliative Project (PPP); women living with gynecologic cancer will have a voice for change and improved access to care.

Count Me In is a project focused on using advocacy, training, and pilot intervention to bring pain and palliative care closer to the neglected women living with cancer in Gwagwalada, Nigeria. The “Count Me In” is a patient-centered call by women living with cancer for their voices to be heard and their needs to be included in the care and treatment plan in Nigeria. Through the “Count Me In,” Project PINK BLUE will host high-level policy advocacy meeting on palliative care, partner with the United States Fulbright Specialist Program and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide pain and palliative care training and establish a pilot program on palliative at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.

Project Lead: Karen Nakawala Chilowa
Organization: Teal Sisters Foundation
Target Population: Women who have undergone cervical cancer treatment in Zambia

Cervical cancer treatment significantly impacts women’s sexuality and self-esteem compounded by significant physical, emotional and hormonal changes that profoundly impact on sexual intimacy. Unfortunately, in Zambia, there is very limited support for cervical cancer survivors causing distress in their lives, with an increase in divorces among this group.

This project aims to explore the complex issues surrounding sexuality in women who have undergone cancer treatment as they experience a range of sexual dysfunctions including reduced libido, vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. The project seeks to empower women to reclaim their sexual well-being, positive self-esteem and enhance their intimate relationships post treatment with the ultimate goal being to improve their overall quality of life.

The project will apply a holistic approach which will integrate medical, psychological and social perspectives to provide comprehensive support. It will involve qualitative research to gather in-depth insights from affected women, focusing on their experiences, challenges and coping mechanisms. This will help inform development of targeted interventions such as counseling services, support groups, information and education materials aimed at improving sexual health and overall quality of life for these women.

Project Lead: Dr. Eleanor Richards
Organization: University of Manchester
Target Population: Endometrial cancer awareness for Black and South Asian Communities in the UK

There are rising rates of, and mortality from, endometrial cancer in Black and South Asian communities in the UK, alongside a lack of awareness and widespread misinformation about endometrial cancer across different ethnic communities.

This project aims to develop an educational video on endometrial cancer symptoms and risk factors, initially co-created with Black and South Asian communities in the UK, which can be adaptable for different populations, languages, and contexts. This video resource will be co-created using focus groups co-facilitated by leaders from community-based organizations. Community partners will review a draft script and storyboard and will be actively liaised with other stakeholder organizations for their input. The quality of the video will be assessed using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool, while pre- and post-viewing surveys will measure its impact on understanding of endometrial cancer and include an opportunity for broader feedback.

By facilitating health promotion for the prevention of endometrial cancer, and by addressing barriers to early detection, we hope this work will reduce the disparities in endometrial cancer outcomes at a national, and subsequently international, level.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are three closely linked values held by the IGCS and IGCANetwork. We uphold these values through our programming, collaborations, and communications aimed to include, listen to, and support different groups of individuals, including people of different races, ethnicities, socio-economic positions, religions, abilities, genders, and sexual orientations.
While low resource countries bear the largest cancer burdens, inequities in health and cancer care exist among different population groups within all nations, regardless of a country’s status as low-, middle- or high-income. There are a variety of systemic reasons why individuals with lower socio-economic positions have higher risks for poor health.

Equity

The fair distribution of resources, opportunities, and benefits, aiming to reduce and eliminate health disparities among different population groups. It involves identifying and addressing systemic barriers and structural inequalities that contribute to health inequities.

Diversity

The inclusion of individuals from different backgrounds and experiences, fostering a range of perspectives and ideas to inform decision-making and problem-solving in global health initiatives

Inclusion

to commit to ensure those of diversity feel welcome and included, to foster a sense of belonging and integration

We are pleased to offer this funding opportunity with the support of AstraZeneca and GSK

2023 Grant Recipients

Project Lead: Ms. Salome Kwenda
Organization: Online Voices and Being Africa
Target Population: Women aged 15 to 50 years residing in Kenya

This project will take place throughout the five wards within the Lang'ata constituency in Nairobi City County. The goal is to reach women aged 15 to 50 years, providing crucial information and resources to enhance cervical cancer prevention efforts. A major goal of the project is to raise awareness about the causes, risk factors, and prevention of cervical cancer, and to reduce stigma and misinformation among the target population. Having secured cooperation from the medical community and ministry of health, the project will also include opportunities for cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination drives. Plans to identify and train community champions and ambassadors will further support and spread awareness efforts.

By focusing on prevention, early detection, and education, Online Voices aims to create a sustainable model that can be replicated in other underserved regions, thus contributing to the global effort to eradicate cervical cancer.

Project Lead: Dr. Rebecca Henderson
Organization: Zanmi Lasante/University Hospital of Mirebalais, Haiti
Target Population: Gynecologic cancer patients residing in Haiti

Executed by a diverse team of experts drawn from the Dana Farber Cancer Center and the Massachusetts General Hospital and an on-the-ground clinical team from Zanmi Lasante, this project will address the unique challenges faced by vulnerable women with advanced cervical cancer in Haiti through the implementation of a pilot palliative care intervention.

By providing specialized care and support, the project aims to improve the quality of life for women facing advanced stages of cervical cancer in the region. The initiative will begin with a needs assessment and low-cost pilot intervention. Next, the team will implement a low-cost package of essential palliative care services and a brief educational intervention for care providers tailored to women’s needs identified in the research phase.

Project Lead: Dr. Jennifer Davies-Oliverira
Organization: University of Manchester
Target Population: LGBTQIA+ community vulnerable to cervical cancer

The ACES LGBTQIA+ 2 study explores the acceptability of self-sampling for cervical screening within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual plus (LGBTQIA+) population. Despite a free, accessible, and well-organized UK cervical screening program, uptake in the LGBTQIA+ community is lower than for heterosexual and/or cisgender females, representing an important health inequity. The project seeks to understand opinions of those in the target population to address barriers to cervical screening in this diverse community, promoting inclusivity and accessibility in healthcare.

Utilizing qualitative research methods to build on knowledge from the ACES-LGBTQIA+1 study, the current ACES-LGBTQIA+2 study will employ interview and focus group data collection methods to enable purposive sampling to ensure intersectionality is accounted for, providing a diverse and equitable voice that will inform the future of cervical screening.

About the Dicey Scroggins Fund for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Gynecologic Cancer Patient Outreach
This fund was established to support projects and initiatives that address disparities in gynecologic cancer patient care. By providing financial support to innovative and inclusive projects, the fund aims to contribute to a more equitable and diverse landscape in the field of gynecologic cancer research and outreach. Named in honor of Dicey Scroggins, the founder of IGCS’ global patient advocacy network, International Gynecologic Cancer Advocacy Network (IGCAN).

About the International Gynecologic Cancer Advocacy Network
The purpose of the IGCAN is to create and sustain a broad Network of organizations and individuals that work collaboratively—in sisterhood—“to enhance the care of women with gynecologic cancers worldwide,” with the core value that every woman under every circumstance deserves and must receive the best possible quality of care and quality of life, resulting in best outcomes.