Global Kidney Cancer Summit Information

Since 2015 Petra has been working in the non-profit sector as a Patient Advocate. She is the Director of ONKO Unie (support for gynaecological and breast cancer patients), Chair of the Committee of the umbrella organisation Cancer Patients Voice and from 2019-February 2025 she was a member of the Executive Committee of ENGAGe, 2021-2024 served as a co-chair of ENGAGe. In 2023 became a Board member of From Testing to Targeted Treatment (FT3), program focused on precision medicine. 2023-2025 Petra was involved in the European HTA4Patients project, since April 2026 is a part of Patient Advocacy Group within the GREG Project. Petra is EUPATI Fellow (2021), representative and founder of the Czech National EUPATI Platform, member of ESMO.

In Czechia, she is member of the Working Group on Clinical Trials at the Ministry of Health and also of the Implementation Council of the National Cancer Plan.

Jayla Barnes FNP-BC has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare, serving in various capacities and care settings from pediatric trauma/ICU, Adult ICU/ER, hospice and palliative care. In these care settings, I managed complex patients clinical needs, psychosocial patient and family support, multidisciplinary collaborations, and initiated community resources to bridge gaps when healthcare disparities interfered in treatment options, activities of daily life, and/or threatened hardship within the family household. Throughout my professional career, one of the things that has remained constant is my desire to share knowledge with others and empower people to make intentional choices for their health and family, while caring for the total being; mind, body, spirit. We don’t get to choose the things that will impact our lives but we determine how we will handle them.

John Branton is Executive Director of Kidney Cancer Canada, bringing more than 25 years of leadership experience in Canada’s charitable health sector. His career has focused on advancing health research, patient advocacy and support through fundraising, strategic partnerships, organizational growth and community engagement. A passionate builder and collaborator, John has helped health organizations expand their reach, strengthen sustainability and create greater impact for the communities they serve. At Kidney Cancer Canada, he is committed to strengthening the patient and caregiver voice, advancing research and partnerships, and improving support and outcomes for everyone affected by kidney cancer across Canada.

I am the Executive President of Asociación ALE, a Mexican nonprofit organization committed to improving access to healthcare for people in vulnerable situations. For many years, I have worked to promote organ donation, support transplantation, and strengthen patient care through collaboration with healthcare institutions, government, and civil society. Through Asociación ALE, we also raise awareness about kidney cancer and provide guidance and support to patients and their families as they navigate their healthcare journey. I firmly believe that every patient deserves timely access to quality healthcare and the opportunity to live with dignity. I look forward to exchanging experiences with patient organizations and healthcare leaders to strengthen collaboration and improve patient outcomes.

Radha Chitale is the Senior Director of Communications for the Kidney Cancer Association, a global non-profit serving and empowering patients and caregivers, and leading change through advocacy, research, and education in order to be the universal leader in finding the cure for kidney cancer.

Anna Corbett is Chief Executive of Kidney Cancer UK and an experienced charity leader with a background spanning business, education, governance and community organisations. She has extensive executive and non-executive experience, including roles with the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Peabody and Aspire Multi Academy Trust, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Anna has particular experience in strategic leadership, governance, organisational development and building cross-sector partnerships. At Kidney Cancer UK, she is passionate about ensuring patient experience and voice shape services, policy and research, and about bringing people and organisations together to deliver meaningful and lasting change.

Marine is an international development specialist with more than ten years experience in research, advocacy, policy, coordination, and management. A lawyer by training and a researcher at heart, she is deeply committed to the belief that health is a human right, a principle that also shaped her PhD research on the concept of human dignity.

Marine joined the Max Foundation in 2024, where she serves as a Senior Program Manager in the Program Strategy and Partnership Unit. In this role, she manages partnerships with diverse range of stakeholders, including patient advocacy groups, professional and expert organizations, industry partners, and coalitions. She also coordinates the Foundation’s kidney cancer and breast cancer work.

Throughout her career, Marine’s focus has been on the Health Sector, working with the Red Cross Movement and NGOs globally. Complementing her focus in this sector, Marine has worked on human rights issues related to gender, conflict, and climate. Marine has worked closely with the Global Fund, multiple UN agencies, and civil society organizations across a range of countries to advance education, food security, health equity, and access to quality care.

Andrew (Drew) has worked with Kidney Cancer UK for 10 years in various roles and is currently General Manager. Drew’s background is in sales, marketing, communications and public affairs, having worked in the pharmaceutical industry for twenty years. After this he spent fifteen years in London-based consultancies working as a senior account director in healthcare policy, government relations and public affairs. He loves music of almost any kind and enjoys walking and trekking, sometimes to raise money for the Charity.

As the chief architect of the Foundation’s strategic vision, mission, and international growth strategy, Mr. Hodgkinson has led its transformation into a globally focused organization dedicated to elevating awareness of childhood kidney cancer (Wilms tumor), strengthening education, and driving collaborative action against the disease worldwide. A recognised advocate for children with cancer and their families, Mr. Hodgkinson has initiated and developed strategic collaborations with leading international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), pediatric oncology networks, healthcare institutions, governments, and patient organizations and expanded the Foundation’s international programme of work, delivering educational resources, digital services, and awareness initiatives designed to benefit children, families, healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers globally. His commitment to childhood cancer advocacy is deeply personal. Following his son William’s diagnosis with Stage IV Wilms tumor, Mr. Hodgkinson has combined lived experience with strategic leadership to build one of the world’s fastest-growing organizations dedicated exclusively to Wilms tumor.

Juan Carlos Julián-Mauro is Managing Director of the Spanish Federation of Kidney Patient Associations (ALCER) and Responsible for The Action Plan at the European Kidney Patients’ Federation (EKPF). He has extensive experience in patient advocacy, patient and public involvement (PPI), health policy, and European research projects, particularly in chronic kidney disease and kidney cancer. He actively contributes to national and international initiatives aimed at integrating the patient perspective into research, healthcare decision-making, and health policy.

Flavia Kavalec is Patient Support Services Manager at Instituto Oncoguia, a Brazilian cancer patient advocacy organization supporting people affected by all types of cancer. She is a pharmacist with a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences and over 20 years of experience in oncology. At Oncoguia, she leads projects that support patients and families, expand access to reliable information, and bring patient experiences and needs into initiatives that strengthen the patient voice and inform advocacy.

Executive Director, Feliciana Mshanga Memorial Cancer Foundation (FMMCF), Tanzania

Florian is a Tanzanian young cancer advocate and the Executive Director of the Feliciana Mshanga Memorial Cancer Foundation (FMMCF), established in memory of his late mother. With over nine years of experience in NGO management, community development, and health advocacy, he leads initiatives focused on cancer awareness, early detection, patient navigation, and improving access to care in underserved communities.

Florian currently serves on the Patient and Caregiver Advisory Board of the GI Cancers Alliance and is a member of the Lung Cancer Policy Network, contributing to global efforts to strengthen patient-centered policies and systems. He has led national campaigns and innovative programs such as Safari ya Tumaini (Journey of Hope) to expand access to treatment and support services.

He is passionate about advancing health equity, empowering communities, and ensuring that no one faces cancer alone.

I am the Communications, Public Relations and Social Strategy Director at Asociación ALE, a Mexican nonprofit organization dedicated to improving access to healthcare for people in vulnerable situations. My work focuses on patient advocacy, strategic communications, public awareness campaigns, and building partnerships with national and international organizations. Through Asociación ALE, I support initiatives that promote organ donation, provide access to kidney transplantation, raise awareness about kidney cancer, and offer guidance and support to patients and their families throughout their healthcare journey. I am passionate about ensuring that patients’ voices are heard and represented in healthcare decision-making. I look forward to collaborating with patient organizations, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to advance patient-centred care globally.

Starting from February 2004, Korea Kidney Cancer Association (KKCA) is a patient group of patients and patient families fighting against kidney cancer in Korea with approximate 14,000 membership.

KKCA has been supporting kidney cancer patients with various activities and programs, for example, medical seminar or education with medical doctors, National Health Insurance coverage expansion on non-reimbursable treatment, patient-oriented HC policies, non-discriminatory law to patients, and global patient group networking.

KKCA’s current biggest issue is to get over the limited range of options for kidney cancer treatment in Korea by working on government policies and putting our voices in various healthcare policy-settings.

Ariel (Sodam) Park is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, majoring in Immunology. Since 2022, she has volunteered with the Korea Kidney Cancer Association, supporting its patient advocacy work through translation and other international communication activities. Through this experience, she has developed a strong interest in patient advocacy and in ensuring that patient perspectives are meaningfully represented in healthcare and research. Her academic interests include cancer immunology and CAR-T cell therapy, and she hopes to pursue research in this field while exploring ways to better connect scientific and clinical research with the needs and experiences of patients.

Jyoti Patil Shah is the Chief Executive Officer of V Care Foundation, a Mumbai-based non-profit dedicated to supporting cancer patients and caregivers through advocacy, psychosocial care, and improved access to treatment. Associated with the organization since 2008, she has held key leadership roles before becoming CEO in 2023. Jyoti actively contributes to global patient advocacy through the Lymphoma Coalition, ISPEN, and the International Kidney Cancer Coalition. A psychologist by training, she has led numerous health literacy and cancer awareness initiatives while championing patient-centered care. She is widely recognized for amplifying patient and caregiver voices in healthcare decision-making.

I have worked for the Association of Cancer Patients in Finland since the beginning of 2017, so almost 10 years! Since our organisation represents all adult cancer patients in Finland, I have had the privilege of learning about different types of cancer and how they affects one’s life. I have also been fortunate enough to widen my perspectives beyond Finland and I have participated in several international meetings and trainings, IKCC’s global summit in Mexico included. I’m very happy to be back to learn more about kidney cancer and take what I learn to all my colleagues and the Finnish kidney cancer patient community!