Pharmafile Logo

The Only Way We Can Go is Up: Improving Screening and Management of Female Cancers

One of the toughest challenges of educating many African women about female cancers and disease prevention is overcoming cultural biases, as well as shame, stigma, and misinformation. Here’s how two global leaders in oncology and women’s health, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu and Dr. Nermean Mostafa, are making headway.

- PMLiVE

“There is a misconception about oncology that it’s a depressive, very sad branch of medicine,” says Dr. Nermean Mostafa, lecturer of Clinical Oncology at Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt, and member of the scientific and executive committee of the Presidential Initiative of Cancer, Early Detection and Management. “But to me it’s extremely dynamic, and rewarding. You develop a special, very strong bond with your patients and their caregivers. To them you are God in the Sky.” Those relationships, plus new drug developments that are improving patient outcomes, are the tools to change people’s lives. 

Listen to Episode 1 of Season 3 here.

Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, our other guest on this episode focusing on female cancer awareness and prevention, is living proof. After training as a pediatrician in the UK, and self-specializing in neonatology, Dr. Bagudu returned to her native Nigeria, “ready to take on all the children, malnutrition.” What she didn’t expect? That many of the mothers who brought their kids to her hospital would confide their own intimate health concerns to her: a breast lump, a funny discharge. They just saw me as a woman who happens to be a healthcare provider, whom they could share their problems with, she says. 

What stunned her was the women’s lack of awareness around their health, particularly breast health. Recognizing a dire need for education, she and a few colleagues took on the challenge, but it soon became apparent that she couldn’t do that plus run her pediatric clinic. So she started ​​the non-profit Medicaid Cancer Foundation in northern Nigeria, and it grew steadily from there. “We rose to fill a need that I discovered through my clinical practice,” she says. 

 Dr. Bagudu, who is also president-elect of the Union for International Cancer Control, and Dr. Mostafa are passionate about moving the needle, raising awareness about cancer screenings  in their part of the world, so it’s detected early and survivors thrive. And the stigma and shame—which are huge—disappear.

“In my language, the local name for cancer is ‘disease of the forest,’ a disease of the wild,” says Dr. Bagudu. “In typical African societies, there’s a belief that illness has supernatural roots rather than a medical cause,” she explains. “Even the most educated people will often come at you with those kinds of ideas,” including in middle-class cities, where you don’t expect it. When it comes to healthcare, women tend to go to places that are faith-based or even to traditional healers, rather than seeking conventional medical care. 

Listen to Episode 1 of Season 3 here.

Both Bagudu and Mostafa say they’re laser focused not just on increasing awareness around cancer and disease progression, but also making sure the information is explained in a way that is “contextually, easily digested.” And the education process must begin in childhood, they say, because statistics show that better educated girls grow up to be more empowered, confident women. That dynamic supports better health outcomes not only for the women themselves but also for their families and, ultimately, the community. 

If we stay positive and keep moving forward, they say, “the only way we can go is up.”

Listen to Episode 1 of Season 3 here.

Hosted by Jelena Spyropoulos, Vice President at Medscape Education

Follow us on LinkedIn for updates on upcoming podcasts and more insightful conversations. For more information, please contact Jelena Spyropoulos

Catch up on Season 1 and Season 2 on:
Apple
Spotify
Medscape

About Medscape Education

Medscape Education (medscape.org) is the leading destination for continuous professional development, consisting of more than 30 specialty-focused destinations offering thousands of free accredited CME and CE courses for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

This content was provided by Medscape Education

Company Details

 Latest Content from  Medscape Education 

The Ripple Effect: Why Connection is the Heart of Healthcare Leadership

In the fast-paced environment of clinical medicine, it is easy to focus solely on data and outcomes. However, as Dr. Toyin Nwafor (Gilead Sciences) and Dr. Shirin Mazumder (University of...

Beyond the Nudge: Why Mentorship is the New Healthcare Currency

In the latest episode of Hear From Her, the conversation centers on a striking reality: women in healthcare often face a "confidence gap" that their male counterparts do not. While...

Three Symposia, Three Years of Fellows, One Mission: Medscape Oncology at ASCO 2026

Three symposia. A third year of Fellows. AI live on the booth floor. Medscape Oncology arrives at ASCO 2026 (Booth #10099) with another ambitious oncology program.

How Sweet It Is: Medscape at ADA 2026

The energy is building as we prepare to head to New Orleans, LA, for the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association from June 4-8. The Medscape Diabetes and...

Keep the Beat Going: Education and Impact at the European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Congress 2026

Did you know? Over 320,000 learners have engaged with heart failure content on Medscape. With such an enthusiastic audience for our education, we’re thrilled to be joining cardiology professionals from...

The Power of Partnership in Respiratory Care

In the fast-paced world of modern medicine, success is often measured by the volume of tests and the precision of data. However, as Dr. Doreen Addrizzo-Harris and Dr. Martina Flammer...

Beyond the Linear Path: Leading with Your Full Self

Listen to the full episode here. In the latest episode of the Hear From Her podcast, Giulia Ghibellini (Teva Pharmaceuticals) and Professor Amanda Kirby (Do-IT Solutions) share how their experiences...

Medscape Earns 2026 ANCC NCPD Premier Award for the Second Time, Reaffirming Leadership in Healthcare Education

Medscape, the leading digital platform for clinicians around the globe, has earned the 2026 American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) NCPD Premier Award. This prestigious designation was publicly announced at the...

Leading with Heart: Why Vulnerability is a Force Multiplier

In a world that often prizes "macho" decisiveness, Dr. Lobna Salem (CMO at Viatris) and Dr. Amrit Ray (Board Chairman and former Pfizer executive) are advocating for a more human...

Cardiology Education in the Age of AI: Join Medscape at ACC 2026

  As medical knowledge now doubles every 73 days, the challenge for cardiology clinicians has shifted from finding information to mastering precision. At the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 65th...