Rafe Sadnan Adel to join board of World Ovarian Cancer Coalition

Former journalist turned communications professional Rafe Sadnan Adel has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition as the first Bangladeshi national.

He will serve the position with the global coalition for the next three years starting 1 July 2021, reads a press release.

After losing his mother to ovarian cancer in 2014, Rafe Sadnan Adel launched the first-ever cancer-related Bangla website www.cancerbd.net (formerly cancerbd.com), offering cancer awareness-related information to all Bengali-speaking people. 

The site covers everything from the type of cancer to symptoms, diagnosis, and information on treatment centres, doctors and medicines fulfilling a previously unmet need in the country. Cancerbd.net also hosts seminars, symposiums, webinars, media and social campaigns on cancer-related awareness. During the covid-19 pandemic, the platform delivered food assistance several times to the people affected with cancer.

World Ovarian Cancer Coalition Chair Elisabeth Baugh said, "I am delighted to welcome Rafe Sadnan Adel to the Board of Directors. His significant skill and expertise as a communicator and patient advocate will be a huge asset and we are honored that he will be joining us in our mission to ensure that every woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer has the best chance of survival and best quality of life – no matter where they live."

Welcoming Adel on board, Coalition CEO Clara MacKay said, "Adel's passion for patient advocacy resulting from the loss of his own mother to ovarian cancer combined with his exceptional communications credentials make him an excellent addition to the Coalition and we look forward to working with him to change the future of ovarian cancer, for all women."

Regarding this opportunity, Rafe Sadnan Adel said: "I was not able to save my mother from ovarian cancer and this nomination from the Coalition is a great opportunity for me to overcome this feeling of failure. I am grateful for this opportunity that will help me to work in creating awareness of ovarian cancer so that women across the globe, can enjoy the best quality of life. I am particularly keen to ensure that the needs of women from Asian countries are met. Working together in a coordinated and planned way, I believe the day will come when no women in the world will die from ovarian cancer. The day is not far from today. Let's know about cancer, let's live in peace."

The current Board of the Coalition includes chair Elisabeth Baugh, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Canada; vice-chair Annwen Jones OBE, Chief Executive of Target Ovarian Cancer, Robin Cohen, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of US-based non-profit Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation; Jane Hill, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Australia; Eva Schumacher-Wulf, publisher and editor-in-chief of the German ovarian cancer magazine "Mamma Mia!"; Tammy Brown, a Partner in the audit practice in the Greater Toronto Area of KPMG in Canada, and Runcie C.W. Chidebe, executive director of Project PINK BLUE, a Nigerian cancer awareness organization.