TogetHER’s Heather White Moderates Panel at Biden Cancer Moonshot’s Cervical Cancer Forum

January 29, 2024

On January 25, 2024, cervical cancer experts, advocates, and survivors gathered at the White House in Washington, D.C. for a Cervical Cancer Forum organized by the Biden Cancer Moonshot team. 

This event featured a wide array of representatives for both U.S.-focused cervical cancer prevention efforts and global initiatives whose efforts align with the Biden Cancer Moonshot’s two primary goals: to prevent more than 4 million cancer deaths by 2047 and to improve the experience of people who are touched by cancer.

Following a panel focused on efforts to prevent and treat cervical cancer in the United States, TogetHER for Health’s Executive Director Heather White moderated a panel titled, “United States Leadership to Drive Global Collaboration and Progress.” This panel also featured: 

  • Vanessa Bennett, Senior International Business Leader, Oncology Disease Area, Roche Diagnostics
  • Dr. Satish Gopal, Director, Center for Global Health, National Cancer Institute
  • Hannah Johnson, Program Manager, Global Policy, George W. Bush Institute
  • Dr. Pavani Ram, Chief, Child Health and Immunization Division, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
  • Dr. Kathleen Schmeler, Professor of Gynecologic Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Associate Vice President of Global Oncology for the MD Anderson Cancer Network

As she kicked off the panel, Dr. White made a point felt acutely by many in the room: “. . . to me, the Moonshot Initiative and cervical cancer elimination are the perfect dance partners. They both call on us to be bold, to be inclusive, and to be action-oriented in our approach.” 

The full event can be viewed here. 

TogetHER would like to express its appreciation to the Biden Cancer Moonshot Initiative Team for the opportunity to play a role in this inspiring event, and to thank all participants for their contributions, both at the event and for their steadfast efforts to make cervical cancer a disease of the past.