Phangisile Mtshali, the Director of the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation responsible for Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, has passed away on 4 January of this year. For more than 30 years she impacted our country and continent with innovative healthcare programme development and strategic communication initiatives. With the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation she was at the forefront of interventions in HIV treatment since 2000 with Secure the Future; more recently her impact was felt in the cancer and palliative care arena in Africa and Asia. In 2021 she convened the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation Global Cancer Disparities Africa programme for Multiple Myeloma and championed a new era promoting early diagnosis, capacity building, and optimal access to care in Myeloma.
Our hearts are broken at the untimely loss of this Global Servant Leader who recently became such a wise and compassionate friend to the haematology community in Sub-Saharan Africa. Myeloma care in our region has for ever been impacted by her, and her far-reaching vision will change reality for our patients in years to come. We will not forget you Phangisile Mtshali.
