Rewriting Cancer

A message from IGCS CEO, Mary Eiken.

In nearly every career, there are moments that stop you in your tracks — moments that remind you exactly why you do what you do. This week, I had one of those moments.

IGCS was approached by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to be featured in their Rewriting Cancer film series, produced for them by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions.

Rewriting Cancer is a series of films showcasing stories of people living with cancer, highlighting innovative treatments, early detection, and advancements in care to dispel myths and improve patient outcomes. The series has been seen by millions around the world and is meant to ignite conversations about vital progress in diagnosing and treating cancers.

Being selected for the Rewriting Cancer series is a tremendous recognition of our flagship Gynecologic Oncology Global Fellowship Program — and of the extraordinary work happening across all 23 fellowship sites worldwide.

With so many powerful stories to tell across our global community, choosing where to focus the film was no small task.

We ultimately chose Fiji — home to Dr. Nanise Sikiti, the first Fijian to be formally trained as a gynecologic oncologist within her home country, utilizing the IGCS Global Curriculum. The film follows Dr. Sikiti alongside one of her international mentors Dr. Ai Ling Tan and the newest IGCS fellow, Dr. Unaisi Tabua.

Earlier this month, a BBC StoryWorks film crew traveled to Lautoka Aspen Medical Hospital, where the Fiji team welcomed them warmly to bring their story to life.

I recently had the privilege to see an early cut of the film — and I am still thinking about what I saw. Watching this story on screen, knowing what it took to build this program, and seeing it earn global recognition — I can honestly say this is one of the proudest moments of my career.

While the film captures one story, it reflects a movement: fellows and mentors across 23 sites who are expanding access to gynecologic cancer care, strengthening health systems, and driving progress toward the global elimination of cervical cancer. That is all of you — and the world is about to take notice.

The film is expected to premiere in June/July of 2026, so consider this your teaser. I cannot wait to share it with you. Stay tuned for more information on the release of this incredible film, describing so beautifully what you as gynecologic oncology professionals do every day.

With so much excitement and gratitude,

Mary Eiken, MS
IGCS CEO

The IGCS Fellowship Program is made possible in part by funding raised through the IGCS World of Hope Development Fund. If you or someone you know may be interested in supporting IGCS programs building the global workforce of gynecologic cancer specialists, donate today or reach out to IGCS Development Lead, Joél Payne at joel.payne@igcs.org.