UAB student wins fellowship, seeks to fight cancer among African women

Kemi Ogunsina, a medical doctor and UAB graduate student from Nigeria, is passionate about helping prevent breast and cervical cancer in African women, especially since the number of reported cases is on the rise and has created a serious public-health issue.

“I believe now is the time to help rewrite the cancer story for other young women in developing countries,” the Southside resident said.

And she’s getting some financial help in this important quest. Ogunsina — a master’s candidate in epidemiology at the UAB School of Public Health — has been awarded a prestigious 2016-17 International Fellowship by the American Association of University Women.

Ogunsina said the fellowship will help her complete her training at UAB, as well as some ongoing research studies, and to present papers at scientific meetings regarding cancer and chronic diseases.

This work is also personally important to Ogunsina, because of the loss of some of the women she cared about deeply, she said.

“I lost a dear friend at the age of 26 and an auntie at the age of 52 to breast cancer,” she said. “I believe the story would have been different if we had the technology and required preventive knowledge made readily accessible to women.”

A doctor for five years, Ogunsina has attended UAB for a year and a half.

Ogunsina was attracted to the School of Public Health by the quality of research at UAB, the presence of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and highly trained lecturers, she said.