DR PATRICIA SCANLAN

UCD MEDICINE AND MEDICAL SCIENCE

Dr Patricia Scanlan is the recipient of the Medicine and Medical Science award in recognition of her work within the paediatric cancer treatment revolution in Tanzania. Dr Patricia Scanlan graduated from UCD Medicine in 1997 and first went to Tanzania in 2007 as part of her Masters programme. In the space of 18 months, Patricia Scanlan has revolutionised survival rates for paediatric cancers from 12% to 60% in Tanzania, a country of 47m people. She established the Children’s Cancer Unit at Muhimbili National Hospital, refurbished a new paediatric oncology ward and maintained survival rates at 60% despite admissions to the unit increasing from approximately 300 to over 500 patients per annum. Dr Scanlan produced and implemented a manual and tool kit for education and play therapy for child cancer patients.

She uses her experience to attract funding for her own patients to ensure they have a sustainable service.