Plenary sessions
Start each Congress day together at the World Cancer Congress 2026 plenary sessions - three unmissable morning sessions designed to energise, challenge and connect the cancer control community. The plenaries create a shared focal point where big questions meet real-world action.
Plenary sessions at WCC 2026
Plenary 1 – Where are we now? The global state of cancer control
A reflective and thought-provoking session examining current global progress in cancer control.
Jeff
Dunn
Prof. Jeff Dunn AO is Chief of Mission and Head of Research at the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. He is also Professor of Social and Behavioural Science and Chair of Cancer Survivorship at the University of Southern Queensland. He is a Board Member and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for the West Moreton Hospital and Health Service. He served as President of the Union for International Cancer Control from 2022 to 2024.
His work in cancer control spans 30 years, in which time he has dedicated his career to the development of strategies that underpin cancer survival and improve awareness of the disease with a special focus on the social and behavioural aspects of cancer and has over 200 publications, including peerreviewed manuscripts, chapters, books and reports. In 2014 Jeff was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia for distinguished service to medical administration through leadership of cancer control organisations and promotion of innovative and integrated cancer care programmes.
Speaker
to be confirmed
Plenary 2 – Where are we going? Breakthroughs and the future of cancer care
A forward-looking session focused on cutting-edge developments and innovation
Jie
He
Dr. Jie He received his M.D. Degree (Clinical Medicine) in 1984 from the Bethune Medical University in Changchun, China and his Ph.D Degree in Oncology (Thoracic Surgery)in 1993 at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CHCAMS) in Beijing, China. Afterwards he did the postdoctoral fellow in the United States from 1995 to 1997. In 1997, he returned to the Department of Thoracic Surgery in CHCAMS and gradually became the Department Deputy Director, Department Director, Deputy Director of CHCAMS and Director of CHCAMS in 2011. In 2013, He was appointed as Executive Director of China National Cancer Center (NCC) by China Ministry of Health. In 2014, he was elected as the Academician, Chinese Academy of Sciences. In 2015, he was formally appointed as President of China National Cancer Center. Meanwhile, he holds the Fellowship of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), the Prestigious Fellowship Ad Hominem of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and Honorary Fellowship of the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong (CSHK). In 2025, He was elected as the member, National Academy of Medicine of the United States.
Dir He has over 30 years’ experience in clinical practice and translational research on the thoracic oncology, particularly on esophageal and lung cancers. He led several national key grants supported by National Natural Science Foundation, Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Health. He also received several national awards including 1st Prize for National Scientific and Technological Development. As the President of China NCC, he is playing the leading role in building the comprehensive network in cancer research, prevention and clinical practice all over China. In particular, he made much effort in cancer prevention and control across China, which established the biggest cancer registry network in the world and increase the 5-year survival rate of cancer patients from 30.9% to 43.7%.
Stephen
Grobmyer
Dr. Stephen R. Grobmyer, MD, is Chair of the Cancer Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi-Fatima bint Mubarak Center, Professor of Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, and Adjunct Professor of Surgery at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, he served as Section Head of Surgical Oncology and Co-Director of the Cleveland Clinic Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. At Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, he served as the Zapis Family Endowed Chair in Breast Cancer Research.
Dr. Grobmyer received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas and completed his residency in General Surgery at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center in New York. He completed a clinical fellowship in Surgical Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Grobmyer completed 2 research fellowships during his medical training: Sarnoff Scholar at University of Pennsylvania; and a NIH training fellowship at Cornell Medical Center.
Dr. Grobmyer’s innovative clinical care program and research focus on developing new approaches to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. He is currently Leader the Oncology Flagship Program of the Emirati Genome Project in Abu Dhabi.
Dr. Grobmyer has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and recognitions including, The Lester Dragstedt Physician Scientist Award, The Society of Surgical Oncology Clinical Investigator Award, ASCO Leadership Development Program and The American College of Surgeons Japan Travelling Fellowship. In 2026, he was recognized among “Healthcare Heroes” in the UAE. He is a member of the American Surgical Association in the United States. His influential clinical care and research have been featured widely in the Unites States media including NBC Nightly News, MSNBC, National Public Radio, The New York Times and Vogue Magazine.
Plenary 3 – Impact, Influence, and Societal Change
This third plenary session focuses on how we can exert influence and through whom to make change happen at a global, regional and local level, with a focus on political will, civil society, social media, and future societal trends, and considering high-profile speakers from outside the cancer field. Session to feature case studies and examples of successful policy influence.
Chioma
Uzodimma
Her Excellency, Barr. Chioma Deborah Uzodimma is the First Lady of Imo State, Nigeria, and the wife of the Executive Governor, Distinguished Senator Hope Odidika Uzodimma, CON. Their union is blessed with children. She is a distinguished legal practitioner, called to the Nigerian Bar, with LL.B. and LL.M. degrees from Imo State University, Owerri, and professional experience across leading law firms in Nigeria. As First Lady, she champions impactful social initiatives through the GoodHope Women Flourish Initiative (GHWFI), with a focus on women’s empowerment, healthcare advancement, and support for vulnerable populations. Her Excellency currently serves as Chairperson of First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC), Chair of the Subcommittee on Monitoring and Evaluation for the National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination (NTF-CCE), and Secretary of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI). In recognition of her leadership and humanitarian contributions, she has received several honours and awards. Notably, she was named First Lady of the Year 2025 by The Sun Newspapers in January 2026. She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC) and a recipient of a Doctor of Public Administration (Honoris Causa).
