Meet Adekemi Oyewusi: Steering Committee, CCI Global Childhood Cancer Survivors Network

Adekemi Oyewusi is a childhood cancer survivor, global health advocate, and passionate changemaker dedicated to transforming the landscape for childhood cancer patients and survivors. With over 12 years of experience in project management across diverse sectors, Adekemi has made it her mission to amplify the voices of survivors and champion equitable care initiatives. As Communications Lead and Steering Committee member of the Global Childhood Cancer Survivors Network, she plays a pivotal role in fostering global connections, empowering survivors, and promoting initiatives that improve their quality of life. In this interview, Adekemi shares insights from her inspiring journey, her advocacy work, and her vision for a future where every childhood cancer survivor thrives.

What were the key factors that led to the creation of the Global Childhood Cancer Survivors Network?

The network is part of the Childhood Cancer International (CCI) and a CCI Global Project, driven by the urgent need to connect survivors worldwide, foster a sense of community, address gaps in survivorship care, and advocate for the unique challenges survivors face. The CCI board recognized the urgency of unifying survivor voices and building a supportive global community, and they have been instrumental in bringing this project to life. Many survivors, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, lack access to essential healthcare, resources, psychosocial support, and long-term follow-up care. Therefore, the network will help advocate for systemic changes that ensure survivors can thrive beyond cancer.

Can you describe the initial challenges the Network faced in its early stages?

Like any groundbreaking initiative, the Network faced several challenges in its early stages, including raising awareness about its mission, reaching survivors, especially in low-resource settings and building a diverse and inclusive community. Communication barriers also posed a significant challenge. Another key hurdle was navigating regional differences and survivor’s needs, which required tailored approaches to ensure no one is left behind and funding to drive our initiatives. Despite these challenges, the shared passion, determination of Survivors and support of CCI Board members have enabled the Network to lay a strong foundation and continue to forge ahead.

How has the Network evolved over the last months in terms of reach and impact?

Over the past few months, the Network has grown exponentially, developing its framework and database while expanding its membership across continents. With the support of the CCI Board, we’ve also fostered partnerships with global organizations and our recent milestones is the launch of a blog called "Survivor's Corner," which can be found on the CCI website. This will serve as a safe space to share all our work, initiatives, and campaigns. Additionally, we’ve been reaching out to different regions to introduce the Network and encourage survivors to join. This effort has significantly increased our reach and has sparked important reflections on how to be more inclusive of non-English speaking countries. The ultimate goal of this Network is to ensure inclusivity in every aspect of our work.

What are the most significant challenges you currently face in advocating for childhood cancer survivors?

One of the biggest challenges is the lack of data and recognition of survivorship needs in many countries, particularly in resource-limited settings. Survivorship care often struggles to compete with other pressing health priorities. Additionally, addressing the psychosocial and economic challenges survivors face such as stigma, unemployment, and long-term health complications requires sustained collaboration across sectors and regions.

How do you ensure the needs of survivors from different regions and backgrounds are addressed?

Inclusivity is at the heart of the Network’s mission. The Steering Committee also includes childhood cancer survivors and advocates from diverse countries and regions, ensuring we have access to and actively engage with survivors from different backgrounds to share their lived experiences and insights. We are also creating more regional working groups and survivor-led initiatives to help us understand and address cultural, socioeconomic, and systemic differences. Through partnerships with local organizations, we will ensure that our solutions are contextually relevant and responsive to the unique needs of each region.

What role do survivors themselves play in shaping the initiatives of the Network?

Survivors are the backbone of the Network. Their lived experiences and resilience shape every aspect of our work, from designing programs and initiatives to gathering support, resources, and setting advocacy priorities. Survivors serve as ambassadors, advisors, experts, and leaders within the Network, ensuring that our initiatives remain survivor-centered and impactful. Their stories inspire change and drive our collective efforts to improve survivorship care globally.

What are the key goals for the Network in 2025, and what plans are in place to achieve them?

In 2025, our key goals include expanding our reach to underrepresented regions, advocating for survivorship care to be included in national health plans, and strengthening partnerships with global health organizations. We aim to achieve these goals by increasing survivor engagement through webinars, hosting high-impact advocacy events, and launching targeted campaigns that address specific survivorship challenges, such as late effects care and mental health support.

What do you hope the Network will achieve in the long term for childhood cancer survivors?

In the long term, I hope the Network becomes a global force for change, ensuring that every childhood cancer survivor has access to the care, resources, and support they need to live fulfilling lives. I envision a world where survivorship is prioritized within healthcare systems, where stigma is eradicated, and where survivors are empowered to thrive as experts, leaders, and advocates in their communities and globally.

How can individuals and organizations contribute to furthering the Network's mission and goals?

There are many ways to contribute, from encouraging childhood cancer survivors within your communities, organizations, and local networks to join us, to participating in our advocacy efforts. You can also provide funding or resources for our survivor-led projects and initiatives. Individuals can share the Network's work on their social media platforms and within their respective groups, volunteer as advocates, or become ambassadors to amplify our message. Organizations can partner with us to co-create programs, conduct research, or advocate for policy changes. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us closer to a world where childhood cancer survivors are supported and celebrated.