health – Rise To Survive Cancer

In West Africa, a region of 16 countries has only one PET scan machine. Forget about treatment—the struggle begins with basic diagnostic tests. Meanwhile, in another part of the world, India’s capital region, Delhi NCR, has around 20 PET scan machines, and in the US and EU, dedicated PET scans exist solely for animals. This stark contrast underscores the urgent need for equitable healthcare access..

After doing workshop for Lung Cancer Patient Advocacy in Asia (HongKong), it was privilege to do Patient Advocacy workshop in Africa along with global patient advocacy leaders at first-ever IASLC PAN Africa Lung Cancer Conference in Ghana.

Though resources in Africa are limited, the passion and determination are immense.

Recognizing Champions of Change

Huge appreciation for:

Caleb (Nigeria’s first lung cancer patient advocate, a friend, a change maker, and the one whose brainchild this conference is)
Jill Feldman (Founder of EGFR Resisters, 16-year lung cancer survivor, one of the most passionate lung cancer patient advocacy leader, and a dear friend)
Dr. Upal Basu Roy (Executive Director at LUNGevity, the largest lung cancer NGO, a great human being, and a bhai to me)

Their leadership and dedication made this conference and workshop truly impactful.

Moments That Moved Me

After my talk, three moments made me realize: Good Deeds Go Far!

Dr. Nini (Oncologist, Nigeria): “Your advocacy helped not just Indian patients but also Africans accessing ALK lung cancer care.”
A Ugandan medical student: “I’ve followed your work for years—it inspired me to enter & better serve patients.”
An African patient advocate: “If he can do it in India, why can’t we in Africa?”

A Call to Action

I remain committed to improving healthcare—not just for Indian cancer patients but for all of LMICs & global healthcare. I urge every stakeholder to join this mission.

Let’s continue to #SparkAChange and take this movement forward. And until we achieve this, remember what my Kusum used to say – Losing Is Not An Option!

#EveryLifeMatters
#NoOneShouldFightAlone
#PatientAdvocacy

Vivek

Late post…..I got the incredibly opportunity to have represented the voice of patients at the National Cancer Grid annual meeting in partnership with the Government of India, WHO, ASCO, and other global organizations. I had the privilege of sitting on a panel with some truly remarkable leaders, including:
– Prof. K VijayRaghavan – Principal Scientific Advisor to PM of India
– Dr. Ravi Kannan – Padma Shri and Ramon Magsaysay Awardee
– Mrs Usha Thorat – Dy Governor RBI and Hon. Secretary ICS
– Prof. Om Narasimhan – London School of Economics
– Dr. Anant Bhan – Ethics Mentor and Mental Health Researcher
– Prof. Nachiket Mor – Scientist, Economist, ISB, Lancet Commission
– Dr. Yogesh Kalkonde – Public Health Practitioner
With invaluable inputs and support from Dr. CS Pramesh, Director, Tata Memorial Hospital and Dr Soumya Swaminathan, WHO chief Scientist.

What makes this moment even more special is that I’m now part of the founding team of the National Cancer Grid for Mental Health in Cancer. Our mission is to integrate mental health care within comprehensive cancer treatment programs and make this a national standard across India.

The event brought together over 300 esteemed leaders in oncology, public health, and research from 14 countries and national & global organizations including National Health Authority, eminent professors from IIT, WHO, ASCO, focused on strengthening cancer control across India and ASEAN.

This powerful collaboration reaffirmed a vital message: when science, ethics, economics, and patient values unite, we can build a healthcare system can truly be proud of. Here’s to making a difference, step by step.