NEW_ABOUT US | Cancer Alliance

ABOUT US

The Cancer Alliance is a collective group of cancer control non-profit organisations and cancer advocates brought together under a common mandate, to provide a platform of collaboration for cancer civil society to speak with one voice and be a powerful tool to affect change for all South African adults and children affected by cancer.

THE TEAM

Governance

The Governance Board recognises that its ability to formulate sound decisions for the organisation is improved by the diversity of its membership. The board has a diverse set of skills that are relevant to the operational needs of the organisation

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS

SALOME MEYER

Salomé is an independant cancer advocate with 25 years of experience – first as an advisor, then as an advocate for a National Cancer Control Plan, the cancer registration regulation, cervical and breast cancer policies and lately an activist for equitable and affordable cancer care for all. She is a member of the MPP Community Advisory Panel as well as a member of the NGO delegation of UNITAID for cervical cancer and also serves on the Women’s Empowerment Cancer Advocacy Network for Africa (We Can) as well as African Cervical Health Alliance (ACHA)

DR LIANA ROODT

Dr. Liana Roodt is a specialist breast and endocrine surgeon and affiliate senior consultant at the Groote Schuur Hospital Breast and Endocrine surgery unit. She also has a private surgical practice in Somerset West. Liana is the founder and a director of Project Flamingo (www.projectflamingo.co.za) – working towards timely and holistic breast cancer care for patients dependent on the public healthcare sector by providing additional surgical lists with breast operations and strengthening the health care sector in various ways.

LOUISE TURNER

ROLE

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NON-EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS

prof JENNIFER MOODLEY

Jennifer Moodley is a Public Health Medicine physician with experience in health systems research, epidemiology, advocacy and public policy development. She has worked as a clinician in rural and urban health care settings and has first-hand experience of the challenges in providing health care in resource-constrained environments. She has been involved in the development and implementation of diverse public health programs and policies; conducted health systems research to support provincial public health objectives and trained under- and post-graduates to meet similar responsibilities. As Director of Cancer Research in the Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT, her responsibilities include the development of a comprehensive, integrated cancer research programme and translation of research into clinical and public health benefit.

mARK HAYWOOD

Mark Heywood is a social justice activist and former Executive Director and co-founder of SECTION27 as well as a co-founder of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC). He sits on the Boards of several health and human rights NGOs in South Africa and internationally. In 2022 he was recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Public Health Association of SA (PHASA). He is currently editor of Maverick Citizen, a section of the Daily Maverick that focuses on activism, human rights and social justice. He is also adjunct Professor at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town; a distinguished visitor at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown University Law Center; and a visiting scholar at the Bonavero Institute for Human Rights, Oxford University. He has written numerous articles on law, human rights, HIV/AIDS, health and literature and edited and written several books, including a book of poetry I Write What I Fight (2015) and a memoir, Get Up! Stand Up! Personal Journeys Towards Social Justice (2017).

ANDRE VAN NIEKERK

André van Niekerk was born and raised in Stellenbosch. He attended Stellenbosch University and obtained a B.Comm Law degree. Subsequent to this he obtained an honours in Accounting from UNISA and is a qualified chartered accountant. André also holds an Executive MBA from the University of Cambridge. André has over 20 years’ experience in cross functional finance roles working for large multinational companies both globally and more recently in South Africa.
André joined Xpedient Medical in 2016 as their CFO and is a key member of the team driving their change, growth and success. His fields of expertise include financial and tax planning, commercial strategy, corporate finance and governance. André is a cancer survivor and a keen sport enthusiast who enjoys mountain biking, triathlon, cricket and rugby.

Prof SALOME MASWIMI

Salome Maswime is a full Professor and Head of the Global Surgery Division at the University of Cape Town; an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist. She is a World Economic Forum Young Scientist; Next Einstein Fellow; vice-President of the Women in Global Health; and President of the South African Clinician Scientists Society. After specialising she completed her MMED and PHD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She did a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. She has a diploma in Project Management (Varsity College) and a Certificate in Leading Organisations and Change (MIT). She is a section editor of the Plos Global Public Health Journal. She is a member of the Academy of Sciences South Africa. She has received numerous awards for her research contribution to maternal health, including the trailblazer and young achiever award by the President of South Africa in 2017. In 2021 she was named among 20 Young Shapers of the Future in Health and Medicine by Encyclopedia Brittanica.