SPARC mentors

As part of the SPARC grant, grantee organisations have access to mentorship alongside seed-funding, training and convening opportunities.

Group of women standing in front of abstract poster and smiling

As part of the SPARC grant, grantee organisations have access to mentorship alongside seed-funding, training and convening opportunities. SPARC mentors are experts providing SPARC grantees with technical guidance, facilitation of new contacts and project management advice. Mentors are paired with SPARC projects based on their expertise and on the needs of the project.

Third Round of the SPARC MBC Challenge (2019)

Mentors

SPARC project

Ayensa, Adela 
General Director of Salvati
Mexico

"Más vida (more life)"
Asociación Tour Rosa
Costa Rica

Dvaladze, Allison
Director of Global Strategy, Advocacy and Partnerships at We Can and BCI 2.5
United States of America

"Nthano Zathu radio drama for MBC women"
Zambian Cancer Society
Zambia

Fadelu, Temidayo, MD, MPH & Svoboda, Ludmila A, RN at
Dana Farber Cancer Institute 
United States of America

"Assisting metastatic breast cancer patients navigate care"
Partners in Health (Zanmi Lasante)
Haiti

Kaur, Ranjit
President of Breast Cancer Welfare Association
Malaysia

"Palliative care needs assessment of metastatic breast cancer patients in West Jakarta"
Rumah Sakit Kanker Dharmais - National Cancer Center
Indonesia

Kleinebreil, Line
President of Université Numérique Francophone Mondiale
France

"Leveraging mobile technology for metastatic breast cancer patients and caregivers in Nigeria"
Cancer Aware - One Kind Act Foundation
Nigeria
Lane, Katherine
Head of Cancer Information & Support Services at Cancer Council Victoria and Chair of the International Cancer Information Service Group (ICISG)
Australia

"One call away: supporting MBC patients to access healthcare and psychosocial support"
Medicaid Cancer Foundation
Nigeria

Cima, Alejandra
Founder and President of the CIMA Foundation
Mexico

Puente, Eliza
Director of the CIMA Foundation
Mexico

"Reframing advanced breast cancer: from expectations to facts"
Venezuelan Breast Cancer Research and Education Foundation
Venezuela
Sharma, Kirthana, MBBS, FRACGP, MPH
Visiting Assistant Professor at Rutgers Global Health Institute
United States of America
"Improving timely access to care for women with advanced stage breast cancer"
Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute
Botswana
Somasundaram, Saunthari
President of National Cancer Society Malaysia
Malaysia
"Developing a resource centre for patients with metastatic breast cancer in Tanzania"
Ocean Road Cancer Institute
Tanzania
Wiseman, Theresa
Strategic Lead for Health Service Research at
the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
United Kingdom
"Guiding metastatic breast cancer women after diagnosis to meet unmet needs"
University of Cyprus
Cyprus
Lohman, Diederik 
Senior programme advisor at Open Society Foundations 
United States of America
"Establishment of a surveillance commission to enforce the rights of Mexican women with MBC"
Cancer Warriors de Mexico, A.C.
Mexico

 

Second Round of the SPARC MBC Challenge (2017)

Mentors

SPARC project

Anderson, Benjamin O, MD, FACS
Professor of Surgery and Global Health Medicine at the University of Washington
United States of America

Dvaladze, Allison
Director of Global Strategy, Advocacy and Partnership at We Can and BCI 2.5
United States of America

"Growing awareness and strengthening patient navigation for metastatic breast cancer patients in Ghana"
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital
Ghana
Auste, Carmen
Managing Director of the Cancer Warriors Foundation
Philippines
"Strengthening care for metastatic breast cancer in the Philippines through patient navigation and advocacy"
ICANSERVE Foundation
Philippines

Bonazzi, Lucy
Clinical Psychologist at the Instituto da Mama Rio Grande do Sul
Brazil

"Assessing the needs and the quality of life of women with advanced breast cancer in Argentina"
Fundación Cáncer (FUCA)
Argentina
Boyle, Fran 
Professor of Medical Oncology Sydney Medical School - Northern
Australia
"Developing MBC e-Learning materials for Australian nurses to improve patient care"
McGrath Foundation
Australia
Cabanes, Anna, PhD, MPH
Director of Global Programs at Susan G Komen
United States of America

"Metastatic component for young cancer patients in Mexico"
Alianza Mexicana por el Cáncer (MILC)
Mexico

de Souza, Catherine , MD
Palliative Care Consultant at Oxford University Hospitals
United Kingdom
"Strengthening palliative care services for patients with metastatic breast cancer in Cameroon"
Clinique Médicale Camassistance
Cameroon
Dunn, Jeff
Chair of Social and Behavioural Sciences Institute for Resilient Regions at the University of Southern Queensland
Australia
"Online support for Hindi-speaking metastatic breast cancer patients"
Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA)
India
Gelmon, Karen, MD, FRCPC
Professor of Medicine University of British Colombia
Canada
"Increasing acccess to financial resources for breast cancer in Canada"
Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN)
Canada
Gibbons, Dorothy
CEO and Co-founder of The Rose
United States of America
"Improving quality of life for metastatic breast cancer patients in Nigeria"
Run for a Cure Africa Breast Cancer Foundation
Nigeria
Ginsburg, Ophira
Director of High-Risk Cancer Genetics Program at the Perlmutter Cancer Center
United States of America
"Introducing patient navigation for metastatic breast cancer patients in the Caribbean"
Caribbean Cancer Research Initiative (CCRI)
Trinidad and Tobago

Gralow, Julie, MD
Professor of Breast Cancer at the University of Washington, School of Medicine
United States of America

Dvaladze, Allison
Director of Global Strategy, Advocacy and Partnerships at We Can and BCI 2.5
United States of America

"Improved quality of life for metastatic breast cancer patients in Romania"
Societatea Romana de Cancer
Romania

Kramer, Joan
Assistant Professor at Emory University, School of Medicine of Atlanta
United States of America

"Improving metastatic breast cancer care in Kenya using information technology"
Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH)
Kenya
Kyriacou, Kyriacos
Head of Dept. Electron Microscopy/Molecular Pathology at the Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics
Cyprus

"Assessing the needs and the quality of life of MBC patients in Cyprus to increase awareness"
Europa Donna Cyprus
Cyprus

Rodin, Gary, MD
Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto
Canada
"Validation of CALM psychosocial therapy in metastatic breast cancer patients in Portugal"
Champalimaud Foundation
Portugal
Saloustros, Emmanouil, MD
Assistant Professor of Oncology at the University of Thessaly, Faculty of Medicine
Greece
"Supporting metastatic breast cancer patients in Greece through "My Alma": a digital app"
The Hellenic Association of Women with Breast Cancer "Alma Zoïs"
Greece
Shulman, Lawrence N
Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
United State of America
"Strengthening advanced breast cancer care in Rwanda through improved care coordination"
Rwanda Palliative Care and Hospice Organisation (RPCHO)
Rwanda
Soldak, Tatiana
Director of Programs at Resource and Policy Exchange
United States of America

"Strengthening national policies for advanced breast cancer patients in Kyrgyzstan"
Public Foundation Ergene
Kyrgyzstan

"Raising patient voices in Tajikistan"
Public Organization "Avesto"
Tajikistan

Taylor, Carolyn
Founder and President of Global Focus on Cancer
United States of America
"Improving information and support for metastatic breast cancer patients in Nigeria"
University of Ibadan
Nigeria

 

First Round of the SPARC MBC Challenge (2015)

Mentors

SPARC project

Andritsch, Elisabeth
Clinical Psychologist at the Medical University of Graz, Unit of Palliative Medicine
Austria

"Training advanced breast cancer patients in Bulgaria to improve adherence to treatment"
Association of Cancer Patients and APOZ
Bulgaria

Armay, Zeynep, PhD
Clinical Psychologist and Psychooncologist at her private practice in Istanbul
Turkey

"Quality of life support for Turkish Advanced breast cancer patients"
Kanserle Dans Dernegi
Turkey
Barndas, Agustí, FGS
Clinical Research in Oncology at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau
Spain
"Living with metastatic breast cancer: patient needs in Spain"
Federación de Mujeres con Cáncer de Mama (FECMA)
Spain
Bhattacharyya, Gouri Shankar, MBBS, MD, MRCP, PhD
Incharge at FORTIS Hospital- Anandapur, Kolkata, Department of Medical Oncology
India
"Providing palliative care for metastatic breast cancer patients in rural West Bengal, India"
Narikeldaha Prayas
India
Caleffi, Maira, MD, PhD
Chief of Breast Center Care at Hospital Moinhos de Vento 
Brazil
"Peer support network for metastatic breast cancer patients"
Instituto Oncoguia
Brazil
Cleary, James, MD, PhD
Medical Oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
United States of America
 
"Establishing navigation and palliative care services for metastatic breast cancer patients in Nigeria"
Health & Psychological Trust Centre (HPTC)
Nigeria
Fenech, Doris
Breast Care Support Group at Europa Donna Malta
Malta
 
"Information materials for advanced breast cancer patients in Portugal"
Associação Mama Help
Portugal
Gralow, Julie, MD
Professor of Breast Cancer at the University of Washington, School of Medicine
United States of America
"Creating a breast cancer support group in Rwanda"
Partners in Health (Inshuti Mu Buzima)
Rwanda

Kaur, Ranjit
President of the Breast Cancer Welfare Association Malaysia
Malaysia

"Fill the gaps in services for MBC patients in northern Thailand"
Suandok Breast Cancer Network
Thailand

Kosmids, Paris
Medical Oncologist at Hygeia Hospital
Greece

"W4LIFE – The Hellenic Alliance for metastatic breast cancer"
Women for Oncology-Hellas
Greece
Luyirika, Emmanuel
Executive Director at the African Palliative Care Association
Uganda
"Improving understanding of metastatic breast cancer and supportive care in Uganda"
Uganda Women's Cancer Support Organisation
Uganda
Pace, Loyce
President and Executive Director at Global Health Council
United States of America
"Building a community-based awareness and engagement around breast cancer in Haiti"
Innovating Health International
Haiti
Parsons Perez, Cristina
Capacity Development Director at NCD Alliance
Switzerland
"Engaging Brazil’s parliamentarians to improve MBC treatment in the public health system"
Federação Brasiliera de Instituições Filantrópicas de Apoio à Saúde da Mama (FEMAMA)
Brazil
Pery, Shlomit
Associate Professor at Rabin Medical Center
Israel
"Support groups for Arab and Russian-speaking women with metastatic breast cancer in Israel"
Israel Cancer Association (ICA)
Israel
Phillips, Jane
Director and Professor of Palliative Nursing at the University of Technology Sydney
Australia
"Increasing access to information for metastatic breast cancer patients in Australia"
Palliative Care Australia
Australia
Sampayo, Ivis
Senior Director of Programs at SHARE
United States of America
"Increasing access to information for metastatic breast cancer patients in Colombia"
Instituto para la Evaluación de la Calidad y Atención en Salud (IECAS)
Colombia
Suchil, Laura
Deputy Director at the National Cancer Institute, Mexico (INCAN)
Mexico
"Creating an online platform for MBC patients in Latin America"
Fundación CIMA
Mexico
Summers, Lisa
Breast Nurse Consultant at Walsall Hospital
United Kingdom

"Supporting metastatic breast cancer patients through improved patient navigationt"
University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH)
Nigeria

Wenzel, Lari
Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Development at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine
United States of America
"Advancing quality of life among Zambian women with advanced breast cancer"
Global Women's Health Fund- Zambia (GWHF)
Zambia
Yip, Cheng-Har, MD, FRCS
Consultant Breast Surgeon at Malaysia’s Sime Darby Medical Centre
Malaysia

"Information and support for metastatic breast cancer patients in Malaysia"
National Cancer Society of Malaysia
Malaysia

 

Last update

Friday 13 January 2023

Share this page