Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellowship 2025
Peter Odetayo
Inaugural Cohort – Building Generations of Cancer Advocates
Theme: Living not Just Surviving
Dicey Scroggins and her legacy.
Mary “Dicey” Scroggins is a globally recognized breast cancer survivor and women’s health advocate who has dedicated her life to championing the voices of patients around the world. A former President of the Board of Directors of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), she has worked tirelessly across global health spaces to ensure that cancer survivors and patients are not just beneficiaries of policy, but are active decision-makers.
Dicey’s advocacy has influenced international cancer policy, clinical trial inclusivity and patient-centered care, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Her life’s work inspires survivors to become advocates, transforming their pain into powerful change. The fellowship named in her honor carries forward her legacy of empowering survivors to become leaders who can drive equity, awareness and action in cancer control globally.
Why this fellowship was created
The Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellowship (DSAPF) was created to build a new class of cancer advocates, especially in Africa, by equipping survivors and cancer patients with the knowledge and voice to influence cancer policy, patient rights, and equitable care on access to pain management and palliative care.
This inaugural fellowship is part of the “Count Me In” Pain and Palliative Care Project, a broader initiative focused on improving pain management, palliative care awareness, and advocacy in low-resource settings. The project is proudly supported by the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS) through the Dicey Scroggins 2024 Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Fund.
It reflects Dicey’s own belief that those closest to the illness hold the most powerful solutions. While many survivors and caregivers are passionate about change, they often lack formal platforms, mentorship, or structured training programs. This fellowship fills that gap by:
- Providing structured training in patient advocacy, palliative care, and cancer equity;
- Teaching how to engage policymakers, health care providers, and research communities;
- Helping fellows build real-life advocacy projects rooted in their own lived experiences;
- Building the first network of trained patient advocates under the Count Me In program.
In short, this fellowship was created to turn personal stories into powerful systems for change, while honoring Dicey’s lifelong commitment to patient-centered care, inclusion, and health equity.
Program Overview
This fellowship was a 2-day event, held on the 25th and 26th of July 2025, in Abuja Nigeria. It was hosted in a hybrid format, with some of the speakers and participants joining us online and others in person.
The speakers and their topics:
The 2025 DICEY SCROGGINS PATIENT ADVOCACY FELLOWS
Join us as we welcome the first ever Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellows 2025
Awarding of certificates to the 2025 Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellows by Prof. T. A. Olasinde (Prof. Of Clinical and Radiation Oncologist, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Shika, Zaria.) and Dr. Hannatu Ayuba (Clinical and Radiation Oncologist, National Hospital Abuja).
Hajia Hadiza Binji, Cervical Cancer Survivor – 2025 Dicey Scroggins Advocacy Fellowship
Ugboaja Blessing Nkechi, Breast Cancer Survivor – 2025 Dicey Scroggins Advocacy Fellowship
Ms. Ivy Umeh – Cervical Cancer Survivor – 2025 Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellow
Ms. Sabiya Murtala – Cervical Cancer Survivor – 2025 Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellow
Ms. Fatima Idris Kasim – Cancer of the Womb Survivor – 2025 Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellow
Nr. Blessing Moses Avegbag – Cervical Cancer Survivor – 2025 Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellow
Mrs. Victoria Okapanchi – Breast Cancer Survivor – 2025 Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellow
Ms. Iyah Andah – Cervical Cancer Survivor – 2025 Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellows
Ms. Mercy Agu Sopuruchi – Breast Cancer
Survivor – 2025 Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellow
Ms. Elizabeth Ugwoma Awo-Ejeh – Breast Cancer Survivor – 2025 Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellow
Ms. Julian Danjuma Ewuga – Cervical Cancer Survivor – 2025 Dicey Scroggins Patient Advocacy Fellow
Note: In respect of personal privacy and the wishes of some fellows who do not wish to be publicly identified or photographed, not all members of the 2025 cohort are shown here.
SOME FEEDBACK FROM FELLOWS
“I also developed [an understanding] of the importance of advocacy and communication skills learning how to use my story and voice to push for policy change, raise awareness, and educate others about the gaps in cancer care and palliative support in Nigeria.”
“Speaking out, I should not suffer in silence. My voice will encourage others. I am not the only one going through pain. There is always help and good people ready to help”
“I now understand that palliative care should start early in the treatment journey, not just at the end of life. It’s about listening, respecting patient choices, and supporting both the patient and their family through the journey”
“I also appreciate the safe space created for participants to share personal experiences, ask questions, and grow both professionally and emotionally. The coordination, communication, and support from the organizers throughout the fellowship made the entire experience smooth and memorable”
