Editor's Word

 

Dear Colleagues,

We mourn the death of H.E. Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Awadi – the Honorary Chief Editor of the Gulf Journal of Oncology and Honorary President of the GFFCC. He was a statesman par-excellence, a medical doctor, a leader, an environmentalist, a health advocate, a scholar, an entrepreneur and a pillar of many organizations in Kuwait. He was well-respected and was credited with many government and non-government initiatives both local, regional and international which gave recognition to Kuwait to this day. He will be greatly missed and the vacuum he left behind will be difficult to replace.

He earned his medical degree at the University of Aberdeen, UK and a master degree in Public Health at Harvard University, U.S.A. He started his career as a Resident Physician at the Ministry of Public Health Hospitals in 1963 and from thereon, he has served the government in many capacities. He was appointed Minister of Public Health (1975), Minister of Public Health and Planning (1983), Minister of Planning (1987) and Minister of Cabinet Affairs (1990). He was also the past Chairman of the Executive Bureau of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health (1976-87), Chairman of the Higher Committee for Environment Protection Kuwait (1975-80) and Chairman of Environment Protection Council Kuwait (1980-1987). He led Kuwait’s efforts in establishing accords with WHO, UNESCO, FAO, IAEA, IMO, IUCN, etc. and held other top positions that are too many to be listed here.

In Kuwait, his contributions to cancer prevention and awareness are enormous and very notable. He was the Chairman of the Board of Cancer Aware Nation (CAN) and the founding President of the Kuwait Society for Smoking and Cancer Prevention (1980-2019). We dedicate this issue in his honor and for the guidance and support he has provided all these years. 

May Allah bless him and grant him eternal rest.