Dr Verna Vanderpuye

 

Born  February 6th 1965 in Ghana, West Africa has over 25 years experience in managing cancer with radiation, systemic therapy  and research into cancer in Africa. She is a senior consultant at the National Center for Radiotherapy, Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Korlebu Teaching Hospital, Accra Ghana with affiliation to the University of Ghana, Accra. Her interests are in breast, sarcoma, genitourinary, gastrointestinal cancers and research into the peculiarities of managing cancer in Africa.  Being   the female pioneer oncologist in  the  West  African  region  following her training supported by the IAEA and American Cancer society  at the Howard University and University of Chicago Hospitals USA. Dr Vanderpuye has mentored many regional and international young cancer professionals throughout their training,  inculcating the Importance of a Holistic approach to patients considering economic, socio-cultural  and  psychological factors  in relation to current evidence of practice.

She goal is prompting research opportunities and developing cost effective, pragmatic approaches to the implementation of new evidence.  Dr Vanderpuye was the recipient of the 2019 International Women Who Conquer Cancer Mentorship Award from Conquer Cancer, the ASCO  foundation,    She is currently the Treasurer  and past secretary of AORTIC, immediate past clinical oncology program director of  her Countries  postgraduate medical training program, a member of several local, regional and international cancer organizations and serves as current and past committee member including African Organization for Research and Treatment of  Cancer(AORTIC), American Society of Clinical Oncology( ASCO),  World Health organization (WHO), and European Society of Medical Oncology  (ESMO).  Serves on several editorial  boards for highly acclaimed oncology journals as well as international grant review committees. She also has experience with cancer guideline development for low resource regions and is a regional and international speaker  on cancer care in LMIC especially Sub-Saharan African Africa.

 

 Dr Vanderpuye is currently the cochair of the new Lancet commission on women and Cancer and served as commissioner for several other Lancet commissions published and in progress. She currently has authored/coauthored over 70 peer reviewed journal articles, 12 book chapters and  contributed to 7 technical documents  and collaborated on several more and still manages to keep a  well-manicured  garden as a hobby.