The Only Way We Can Go is Up: Improving Screening and Management of Female Cancers
March 5, 2025 | Hear from her, Women in Leadership, oncology, podcast
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.
“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
Medscape Education’s Dedication to Delivering Impact to be Highlighted at Alliance Annual Meeting 2024
Being an active part of the continuing medical education community is a top priority for the Medscape Education team. As part of their commitment to sharing their insights and learnings...
We Can Shorten the Journey
During the shortest month of the year, Medscape Education is making a renewed commitment to use clinician education to help shorten the diagnostic and treatment journey for the millions of...
Making an Impact at ASH 2023
Medscape has left behind the sunny skies of San Deigo, having attended their final conference of the year at the ASH annual meeting.The team wrapped up the year with a...
Women’s Health Faces Some Difficult Headwinds. Here’s How We Can Move Forward
When it comes to women’s health, “we are a bit behind — almost where oncology was 20 years ago and neuroscience was about 10 years ago,” says Sandra Milligan, Head...
A “Leaky Pipeline” and the Loss of Talented Female Physicians
A leaky pipeline that begins during medical school and extends throughout the training process means we lose many talented women, says Fatima Rodriguez, director of preventive cardiology and associate professor...
Medscape Oncology’s Large Presence at ASH 2023
Medscape Education is returning to the annual ASH conference with eight symposia, two publications, and the opportunity for clinicians to challenge their knowledge with MedChallenge.The eight symposia will be held...
Medscape Education Redefines Standards with Website Redesign
Medscape Education—the number 1 destination for CME—--has launched a redesign of its education hub. The site now features easy-to-navigate categories, a highlight on curricula, and enhanced search capabilities, allowing Medscape...