Health Inequities Heroes: Dr Olubukola 'Bookie' Ayodele

Dr Olubukola 'Bookie' Ayodele

Dr Olubukola Ayodele is a breast oncologist leading system-level change in cancer inequalities. She is the Medical Oncology Breast Lead at University Hospitals of Leicester where she leads clinical trials and research focused on improving real-world outcomes, treatment optimisation, representation and inequalities in cancer care.

Dr Ayodele is passionate about global oncology. An alumnus of the Global Oncology Leadership Development Program in Princess Margeret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada in other to facilitate collaboration and advocacy of cancer care in LMICs. She is Co-Chair of the London Global Cancer Week and organises the Friday in-person meeting. She is a steering committee member of the UK & Ireland Global Cancer Network. She sits on Breast Cancer Now Inequalities Funding Committee and the European Cancer Organisation (ECO) Inequalities Network contributing to health policies. Actively involved in several projects involving breast cancer in black women, including “The Ebony Experience With Cancer” (TEEWC), a YouTube platform for black people who have been affected by cancer with the aim of increasing awareness and educating the public, in order to reduce the poor outcomes in cancer among the black population. She was recently presented with the Specialist Clinical Leader Award at the Black Healthcare Awards by the Caribbean and African Health Network, recognising her work to reduce inequalities in cancer care, improve access to clinical trials and deliver culturally competent cancer care.

She is the Co-Founder of ‘Cancer Conversations CIC’ that brings cancer education directly into trusted spaces like churches, sports clubs, and community groups where people are empowered to ask questions, learn about cancer symptoms and screening, and get the support they need in a safe and familiar environment and can speak openly about diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

She is the Co-Director of the Cancer Inequalities Virtual Lab where she leads research addressing cancer disparities.

Through #DrBookiesNuggets, she has become an influential oncology voice on social media, translating emerging evidence for clinicians, patients and the public. I would encourage you to look at her social media handles below.

LinkedIn: Dr Olubukola Ayodele “#DrBookiesNuggets
Instagram: @booksala_
TikTok: DrBookiesNuggets
Twitter (X): @bookslala

London Global Cancer Week

London Global Cancer Week is an annual, city-wide initiative that brings together the global cancer community to confront one of the defining health challenges of our time: inequitable access to cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship care.

Held each November, the Week creates a shared platform for organisations across academia, healthcare, policy, civil society and industry to host events that explore meaningful solutions to the global cancer burden, forming a coordinated programme of dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration. This year it is happening 2-6 November with a series of in-person and online sessions. Online sessions are free to book on the website. 

The Association of Breast Surgery will be holding a breakout session as part of the Friday in person meeting titled “Global Partnerships for Equitable Cancer Care: Moving From Local Insight to Worldwide Impact”.