“The People’s Oncologist” Dr Omolola Salako of Oncopadi & Sebeccly Cancer Care is our #BellaNaijaWCW this Week!

For our #BellaNaijaWCW feature this week, we shine the spotlight on and celebrate Dr Omolola Salako, the founder of Oncopadi Digital Cancer Clinic, a platform that connects cancer patients in Africa to oncologists, hospitals and coping resources in real time.

The digital patient navigation platform helps cancer patients and their loved ones to organize their journey with accurate information, and a supportive community.

Omolola is also the founder of Sebeccly Cancer Care whose vision is to care and empower cancer patients to fulfil their survivorship potential while ending inequality in cancer care.

Omolola decided to establish Sebeccly Cancer Care after losing a loved one in 2003 to cancer. She became inspired, after the sad event, to support cancer patients regardless of the uncertainty that followed a pursuit in a career in oncology. After her loved one’s passing, she took a few courses in cancer and palliative care while consulting medical colleagues and mentors in Nigeria and abroad.

She discussed the idea of an NGO with her colleagues at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) – Tola ladejobi, Tolue Isiekwenagbum, and Babatunde Salako – who believed in her idea and the began working on plans, programs, activities, and fundraising.

Omolola also learned from mentors including the late Dr. Kofo Orija as well as Professor J.T.K Duncan.

After her medicine and surgery degree from the University of Lagos, Omolola decided to further pursue a career in Radiation Oncology and palliative care. She started her residency program in the Department of Radiation Oncology at LUTH in January 2008 and completed in 2013.

Omolola’s Oncopadi proovides cancer care and health management services for individuals.

Its Sebeccly-Oncopadi Access to Remote Cancer Care Project provides Patient Educational resources, free teleconsultations, cancer support and coping tools. It also hosts the #SOARChampions Online Cancer Support Group Webinars, a  bi-weekly webinar designed to help anyone living with cancer gain accurate information, clarity and support from an understanding community of survivors and cancer experts.

Its Oncopadi for Business service works with teams to deliver quality health care while saving cost and time through the use of technology as well as digital health programs.

Omolola is currently a Lecturer with the University of Lagos and is a Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) Young Leader. She’s one of the 100 women named in Leading Ladies Africa’s 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria list for 2019.

We celebrate Dr Omolola for building a strong support system for and contributing to improving the survival rate of cancer patients in Nigeria and Africa and we’re rooting for her!