About us

Ahmad Awada is the Head of the department of Oncological Medicine at Jules Bordet Institute, which is part of the H.U.B. (Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles), the university hospital of Brussels.

A specialist in internal medicine and medical oncology, his clinical, research and teaching activities are varied. From diagnosis to supportive care, Ahmad has a wealth of knowledge and extensive experience in managing patients with cancer. His main area of expertise is in the treatment of solid tumours, especially breast cancer. He has also been actively involved in the development of new anti-cancer drugs, some of which are widely used.

Ahmad’s broad knowledge and expertise have formed the basis for his commitment to All.Can Belgium, which he has chaired since its launch in 2018.

“In oncology, as elsewhere, efficient and effective treatment is first and foremost personalised treatment, tailored to the specific needs of the patient.”

Pia Cox is the Executive Director and former Co-Chair of All.Can Belgium, the founder of All.Can Senegal and a member of All.Can International.

As a qualified medical doctor she received training in surgery, HIV medicine and public health. Having worked in several countries, including Belgium, the UK, Senegal, Singapore and the USA, she has amassed over two decades of extensive clinical experience in a variety of diseases. Her career also spans a wide range of healthcare settings: university and local hospitals, community health centres, private practices, NGOs, the public sector, and even international corporations.

Pia is driven by a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, which are the guiding principles behind everything she does. A long-time champion for patients and the less fortunate, she is actively involved in different not for profit organisations, particularly in the field of cancer.

“For everything we do, we must be able to explain why we spend resources on it and, most importantly, how it will benefit patients, whether directly or indirectly.”

An Cloet is Director of External Affairs at MSD.

MSD is committed to putting patients first and ensuring that breakthrough innovations are made available to those in need. The shared vision that drives everyone at MSD is to give cancer patients more – more ways to treat their cancer, more quality of life and more time.

What sets MSD apart is its commitment to oncology that spans the continuum of care: from prevention with HPV vaccination to treatment with immunotherapy. And this vision and commitment are of great value to the All.Can board and the organisation.

“Improving efficiency in cancer care is first and foremost a matter of collaboration. As a multi-stakeholder platform, All.Can is the perfect place for a diverse group of people concerned with cancer from different perspectives to join forces on projects that will make a difference to the lives of cancer patients.”

Gilles Poncé is the Country Representative and Head of Advocacy, Government Affairs, Hospital and Market Access for Belgium and Luxembourg at Bristol Myers Squibb and has a long track record in the pharmaceutical industry in Belgium and the US.

Bristol Myers Squibb aims to improve patients’ daily lives through science. Committed to innovation, the company is a leader in clinical trials, giving patients early access to life-saving innovative treatments.

In his role, Gilles works with governments to ensure rapid and sustainable access to innovative medicines, particularly in today’s challenging climate.

“It’s quite simple: the patient comes first. Because one day, that patient could be my neighbour, my friend, my father, me…”

A psychiatrist by training, Anne Rogiers is the Head of the Neurocognitive Remediation Clinic at the Department of Psychiatry of the Centre Hospitalier Universitair (CHU) Brugmann in Brussels. She is also a Clinical Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacie and a researcher at the Oncology Research Center, both at the VUB. In addition, she works at the Department of Medical Oncology of the Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel.

In the course of her career, she has built up clinical and scientific expertise in the fields of neuroscience, cancer survivorship care, psycho-oncology, and neuro-oncology. She is an active member of the EORTC Quality of Life Group.

Her research has been focused on survivorship, cognition and quality of life in patients treated with immune therapy. In 2018 she founded the neurocognitive remediation clinic at CHU Brugmann, an integrative neurocognitive remediation clinic dedicated to cancer survivors.

“Raising awareness is the first step toward tailored survivorship care.”

Frédéric Maddalena, a registered nurse specialising in oncology, palliative care and health management, is Head of the team of oncology care coordinators at Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc in Brussels.

In addition to leading research projects, he has published articles on topics such as optimising a patient’s clinical pathway and patient satisfaction with the process of breaking bad news. His current priority is to ensure the quality of care for patients undergoing oral chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

Because of his role and his day-to-day experience of helping patients, he is well placed to communicate the needs of both the healthcare system and patients and to propose innovative approaches.

“Patients should be empowered, meaning they should be well-informed, actively involved in decisions, and supported throughout every stage of their healthcare journey.”

Didier Vander Steichel is the Medical and Scientific Director at the Belgian cancer fund – Stichting tegen Kanker/Fondation contre le Cancer.

With extensive expertise in patient information, patient support, prevention and funding of academic cancer research, along with fruitful partnerships, this independent NGO has a comprehensive understanding of what works and what is missing. Regular input from researchers, clinicians, caregivers, patients and their relatives across the entire care spectrum, from prevention to palliative care, further enhance its perspective – a perspective Didier also brings to All.Can Belgium’s board.

“Efficiency, multidisciplinarity, patient-centricity and patient empowerment are key to sustainable progress in cancer research, care and cure.”

Benoit Mores is expert healthcare representative at Mutualités Libres/Onafhankelijke Ziekenfondsen.

As a group of health insurers, this organisation contributes to the improvement of equity and access to high-quality healthcare. Efficiency in cancer care then means providing access to state-of-the-art cancer prevention and treatment that is covered by insurance plans. This access should be seamless and tailored to each patient’s individual needs, and so should the cancer care they receive.

Due to his role, Benoit has all the knowledge and expertise needed to help All.Can Belgium understand what patients need in terms of reimbursed care.

“All.Can is all about collaboration that makes a difference for patients.”

Bernard Willemart is the Head of the Department of Onco-Hematology, Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine at the Sainte-Elisabeth site of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) UCL Namur and is also in charge of the Espace Bien-être l’Essentiel wellness centre, created exclusively for cancer patients and their families.

As an advocate of integrative medicine, he is fully committed to providing cancer patients with personalised and holistic care, combining conventional treatments with evidence-based complementary therapies. Integrative medicine aims to address not only a patient’s physical symptoms, but also their emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing.

“Together we can deliver a brighter future for cancer care”

Jean-Michel Luyckx is Head of Public Affairs at Novartis.

This company has a decades-long track record in cancer research and is committed to improving the future of cancer care in Belgium. To this end it engages in open and constructive collaboration with various partners to jointly develop innovative and sustainable solutions to better serve cancer patients and physicians. Through Jean-Michel, Novartis also wants to leverage its reputation, knowledge and expertise to support All.Can.

Jean-Michel has a background in biomedical sciences, political science and European affairs, and worked at other pharmaceutical companies before joining Novartis.

“A healthcare system that delivers the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. This is how I define efficiency in cancer care.”