Elekta Foundation to Expand Cancer Care Initiatives in Low-Income Countries

The Elekta Foundation celebrated its first year by highlighting its success in building awareness and prevention specifically related to cervical cancer at an event organized by Rwanda’s Minister of Health. The Foundation provided testing for 20 thousand women in Rwanda, and several hundred others were treated for precancerous lesions. This model is scalable and the Foundation plans to replicate in other African countries.

“Eliminating cervical cancer requires strong alliances and innovative new collaborations, and effective health education at all levels,” said Cecilia Wikström, Elekta Foundation’s Chairman of the Board. “We are very happy with the work we have done, developing a comprehensive model that includes all stages, from screening, early detection to all kinds of treatment. These accomplishments have been made possible by the generous support of Elekta’s investors, who share our commitment to improving healthcare for all.” She added: “We strive to make a long-lasting impact for people living with cancer in underserved and developing countries, not only in Africa, but wherever this gap exists in the world.”

In addition to Cecilia Wikström, the Board of Directors for the Elekta Foundation includes Elekta’s Founder and Chairman of the Board, Larry Leksell, and Tomas Puusepp, former CEO of Elekta.

Lacy Hubbard, the Foundation’s President, said that one of the Foundation’s focus areas is expanding training and education. “We are excited about and proud of our achievements in such a short time, and now look forward to another year of success. The Foundation will continue to support programs in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically in Uganda, Kenya and Senegal, using the knowledge gained from this initial phase to expand our initiatives to surrounding countries and regions.”