“Women’s lives matter. Period!” Mrs Dorothy Nyong’o, County First Lady of Kisumu, and Managing Trustee of Africa Cancer Foundation remarked today at Roche Africa Press Day in Nairobi. She called on African governments to prioritize women’s cancers through increased funding to focus on prevention, screening, early diagnosis, faster treatment pathways and patient navigation, as well as access to innovative therapies and palliative care. She called on SHA to cover the cost of cancer screening and diagnosis. She shared the findings of the ongoing breast cancer research project at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital where thanks to support of Tiba Foundation and Africa Cancer Foundation, over 300 women were mobilised for screening, and 164 women were biopsied. Of these, 116 had invasive breast disease and are on follow up. The project is bridging the treatment gaps caused by cost barriers. She shared how a partnership between Roche, County First Ladies Association, International Cancer Institute, Women 4 Cancer and Africa Cancer Foundation set up 20 EMPOWER clinics in 19 of Kenya’s 47 Counties, from 2019 to 2020 (during COVID-19 pandemic), where women can walk in daily for free breast and cervix screening. Today, an additional 57 Digital EMPOWER clinics have been set up countrywide and adopted by the National Cancer Institute, reaching over 235,000 women in Kenya and treating 3,225 women. She pointed out that together with her colleagues in the Africa Breast Cancer Council they are calling on governments to prioritize breast cancer. She stated that research points to a clear opportunity – Health investment delivers returns and early public health interventions can return more than 14 times the initial investment, and that health when treated strategically, becomes a multiplier, not a drain of resources. Mrs Nyong’o called on governments to urgently drive an integrated approach to women’s cancer care to save our women, strengthen our communities and elevate our economies.