IGCS Board Sets Strategic Course

Dear IGCS Members and Friends,

Earlier this year, the IGCS Board of Directors gathered in Dublin to embark on an important journey – setting the strategic foundations that will guide the trajectory of our organization in the coming years. Prof. Michael Quinn, IGCS Past President and founder of the IGCS Global Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program and I served as facilitators.

Our organization has undergone remarkable growth over the last several years, and your involvement has been a driving force behind our successes. While hundreds of members are already involved in our programs, we know many of you want to serve and collaborate to make an even bigger impact on care locally and internationally. The IGCS Board feels very strongly about fostering an inclusive culture and developing more transparent governance processes.

Our membership, now 4,455 strong, gives us the power and confidence to think bigger. The involvement and interest from members of interdisciplinary cancer care team has allowed IGCS to develop educational programs and mentorship opportunities in pathology, nursing, palliative medicine, and now an international radiation oncology consortium to affect real change in this space.

All of this has advanced our mission, and the time has come to refine our approach to ensure that we manage this growth strategically. We also made a resolute commitment to further define what we consider to be meaningful impact for our organization so we can develop impact metrics moving forward, to ensure that our actions align with our aspirations.

Like many strategy sessions, much work was done in advance of the session that made for a productive, thought-provoking experience. We took the approach of using the term strategic pillars to represent the three overarching goals we believe to be the most important at this time. Think of these as pillars that support the house of IGCS with a clear sense of purpose.

To identify these pillars, the Board examined and openly discussed IGCS’ purpose, vision, our customers, and our competitive landscape. It required that we ask challenging questions and, at times, engage in uncomfortable conversations. However, in the true spirit of collegiality and shared purpose, the Board wholeheartedly agreed on the following pillars.

1. Enhance Member and Guest Experience: Recognizing the vital role you, our members, play in the society, we are dedicated to enhancing your experience and fostering a member-driven organizational culture. This means facilitating meaningful engagement, creating enriching opportunities, and ensuring that your involvement is as rewarding as it is impactful. 
2. Advance Equitable Patient-Centered Care: With a commitment to patient-centeredness and equity, IGCS aims to develop programs, foster partnerships, and provide education and training to work towards a future where every patient, regardless of their background, receives the highest quality of personalized and compassionate care.  
3. Increase IGCS’ Impact Worldwide: Our ambition is to fulfill our great potential to expand the reach and influence of the IGCS for the benefit of those affected by gynecologic cancers worldwide. We envision the IGCS making a more profound impact on the international stage, through meaningful collaborations that accelerate progress and galvanize the community to action. 

Strategic objectives to strengthen each pillar were developed by the Board in small workgroups during the session. These objectives are high-level and measurable, aligning with what IGCS wants to achieve. To fulfill our objectives, we are creating initiatives and tactical work plans to ensure we carry out the necessary work through our committees and many programs we have at IGCS.  

We look forward to sharing more updates with you as we continue to build upon this new foundation. Until then, please feel free to reach out with any questions, thoughts, or ideas you might have. 

With gratitude and great anticipation, 

IGCS CEO, Mary Eiken points towards the destination in the streets of Dublin.  
Photograph by IGCS President, Keiichi Fujiwara.