Global Health, Cancer Survivorship, and Advancing Equity
What do pharmacy, the United Nations, and sip-and-paint nights have in common? For Dr. Ornesha Watson, pharmacist at Howard University Hospital, global health advocate, and cancer survivor, they’re all part of a path that’s been anything but straight.
In this episode, she talks about growing up in Jamaica, working in international health, and how both her father’s cancer diagnosis and her own shaped her passion for advocacy and equity. Ornesha shares what healthcare teams can do to move beyond “transactional care,” why hope is a critical part of treatment, and her vision for expanding cancer services across Jamaica and the Caribbean.
In this conversation, you’ll hear:
- How her experiences in pharmacy and public health come together in her patient advocacy
- Why hope matters just as much as medicine in cancer care
- Practical ways healthcare teams can better support patients
- Her mission to reduce disparities and expand cancer services in the Caribbean