Up Close and Personal with AMBASSADOR GRACE CHARRIER

Interview and Story by Jasmina Siderovski

What does it mean to be an ambassador? Is it the level of authority granted to serve your nation, or is it the gift to be a storyteller on behalf of civility of love, hope and faith? Deep within us all, we have a purpose. A passion and experiences that help us grow and give us core value for the truth we speak. Women in sciences have faced long, unfair prejudices and setbacks because of their gender. These obstacles deter our success. However, there are thousands of remarkable women that have triumphed, and their work has inspired globally. Amazing women have defied and broken away from perceptions and proved that with persistence, soul belief, purpose, knowledge and education are the ingredients and breakthrough for progress.

Grace B. Charrier is an African, Nigerian Woman of preservation, greatness and value. A fighter part of a global network of organizations such as researchers, scientists, doctors, nurses, oncologists, cancer patients, survivors, patient leaders, pharmaceutical industries. Her fight against cancer is admirable, and Grace has continued to be a lifeline for thousands around the world, supporting patients, survivors and their families.

A breast cancer survivor and global ambassador - appointed Legislative Ambassador for the American Cancer Society and Global Leadership Panel Member for Fight Cancer Global, Grace continues to make shockwaves creating awareness and research through her voice. I had the pleasure of discovering Grace on LinkedIn almost a year now, and from the moment she caught my attention, I knew she was different. Her voice was warm through her messages of hope, and humble triumphs that have credited her an Ambassador for humanity and most recently the eYs Magazine 2020 International Women’s Day Ambassador.

Grace, could you please tell me a little about yourself?

My name is Grace B. Charrier. I am African, Nigerian to be precise, although I always mention that I am a global citizen as I do not believe in borders, in boxes, in confinements, or in labels. I believe that my country should be yours, yours should be mine, regardless of what part of the world each of us may come from. I had my education in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and in the United States with core competences in Business Administration (Marketing), Project Management, in Nonprofit Leadership and Administration, Public Health Advocacy, and Peace, Conflict and Mediation.

Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria as a young girl, I attended top schools such as The Corona School, Victoria Island, St. Mary’s Private School, and Holy Child College, Lagos. I also attended St. Andrew’s Private Tutorial College, Cambridge in the United Kingdom for my ‘A’ levels.

My parents, Bassey and Emilia of blessed memory were very well-respected and upright community leaders and distinguished civil servants. They served their fatherland honorably and meritoriously. My Dad was a Chartered Accountant and a career Diplomat and Mum was a Chartered Secretary and Public Administrator.

They were a beautiful couple and made a fantastic team who supported each other throughout the years. I traveled the world with my parents and was exposed at an early age to etiquette, conversations, and different cultures. I could confidently hold a conversation in any subject my parents had tutored me in. My parents always maintained that it was not fair to leave all the work to teachers alone. Yes, they did have their own part to play, surely, but parents were responsible for putting the icing on the cake and this they did, of which I am extremely grateful. Growing up in the mid-70’s was pure innocence and total fun. I had a lot of friends and dear cousins I bonded deeply with, even though as time passed, we all moved on with our lives, and I learned to enjoy my own company which is reflective of how I live as an adult today. My daughter calls me an ambivert. I believe.

Could you share some of your greatest achievements and awards?

United Nations Peace Ambassador 2011 (Universal Peace Federation)

United Nations NGO Representative 2013 International Association of Applied Psychologists (IAAP) It was high impact advocacy with Member States, and we worked tirelessly with the former SecGen United Nations Ban Ki Moon and the

present Deputy Sec-General, Dr. Amina Mohammed in ensuring the success of our efforts by ensuring Mental health and Wellbeing became a key target of SDG 3, of which I am extremely proud.

Officiating Team Member, Psychology Coalition at the UN 2013 (PCUN) Same as above only this is a larger body.

Member, Commission of the Status of Women (CSW) 2014

Executive Board Member/Memberat-Large UN NGO Committee of the Family (2015) I was involved in highlevel advocacy with UN member States and diplomatic missions regarding the importance and relevance of the institution of the Family to the attainment and success of the SDGs. The Family is the nucleus of society and everything revolves around it.

Global Goodwill Ambassador 2018

Legislative Ambassador American Cancer Society 2019

Global Nominee WEGO Health Awards 2019

Global Patient Leader WEGO Health 2019

Global Leadership Panel Member 2019

Winner Books for Peace 2019

Global Ambassador eYs Magazine International Women’s Day 2020

Honorary Life Member Women Economic Forum (WEF)

Honorary Life member All Ladies league (ALL)

When and why did you become a powerful Global Patient Leader Advocate?

I have always been involved in advocating for peace, women’s health, empowerment, and inclusion. As a young girl, I watched as my Mother, a strong voice in women’s issues played hostess to countless meetings in our home with like-minded Nigerian women, wives of diplomats, and other expats who shared ideas and ideals on serving the community and the literary and financial empowerment. She was a strong member of the National Council of Women’s Societies, Lioness, The Soroptimist International, and The Rotary. I guess this experience among so many others have impacted me in more ways than I choose to believe. I believe that healthy women make stronger women and stronger women make healthy nations.

I never set out to become a Global Patient Leader, I was discovered just by speaking my truth and consistently sharing important content about my experience with breast cancer. I had become an ‘expert by experience.’ I was just doing my own bit in my little corner, or so I thought. Now, it has surpassed my expectations. I have been asked to speak on global stages. I have been honored to speak at the UN during the Commission of the Status of Women (CSW) alongside amazing women I have respected and admired from afar. I was nominated by collaborators, friends, and relatives for the WEGO Health Awards last year who believed in me and the impact I was making. Though I did not win, as winning is not everything, the nominations in 4 different categories brought with it many incredible opportunities. The same can be said for being appointed a Legislative Ambassador for the American Cancer Society and being appointed a Global Leadership Panel Member for Fight Cancer Global, the latter which has its tentacles spread in 60 countries and counting. So obviously, I must be doing something right. All of these are rock-solid global cancer platforms. I am immensely humbled to play key roles and be a part of these amazing networks of researchers, scientists, doctors, nurses, oncologists, cancer patients, survivors, patient leaders, pharmaceutical industries, and other stakeholders, who are making their mark in either trying to eradicate this disease once and for all or making it more bearable.

Can you walk us through your journey, mainly finding the motivation to lead, inspire and provide a lifeline for thousands around the world?

My arduous challenges with breast cancer began almost three years ago with a terrible fall in my bathroom in the land of my birth, Nigeria. I was there for a highprofile awareness event I had organized for women living with uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids have been known to morph into cancer. Our event had the Senate, the House of Representatives, the National Medical Association, the Pharmaceutical Society, several Women NGOs, and the media who did an amazing job of covering this highly applauded and successful event. The fall led me to return to the United States earlier than I had planned and where after several tests, I received the shocking diagnosis.

A Stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis. I say ‘shocking’ because there were no symptoms to warrant there was anything wrong. That ‘divine fall’ saved my life or else, it would have been only a matter of time. I give God all the glory for my life.

This traumatic experience began me on a long journey of in-depth research regarding this medical issue. While undergoing those terrible treatments I was researching all the information I could get my hands on to do with cancer. What I discovered in the process strengthened my resolve to start some sort of social media awareness program to advocate, to proffer helpful information and solutions to save lives, and to erase the stigma associated with it. In Nigeria, and Africa as a whole, cancer is considered a death sentence. Many women and men are unwilling to discuss their fears of finding a lump or tumor and they die due to the stigma attached. For the men it is more of a macho thing. Even when medical interventions are available, they are unaffordable. No medical insurance is available for those in the little/no income insurance strata. Those diagnosed are usually in their prime and their chances of survival would have risen if surgery were performed but where is the money? Where is the insurance to support them and to cover such huge bills? I discovered that very few who had cancer were willing to speak about it for the same reasons I have mentioned above. Stigma. The fear of the unknown. Financial limitations. Becoming outcasts. All the stories I heard and read from my brothers and sisters in Nigeria and the rest of Africa brought me to tears and I thought about how I could be a voice. A light. This was the deciding factor. This was my motivation to inspire the world. I refused to allow cancer to drag me into the abyss and leave me there. I clawed my way out of the abyss and got a new lease of life. I wanted the world to see the positivity and hope I was sharing which had propelled me to create awareness on the cancer disease. Therefore, on my sick bed, one early morning about 2 am, I set to work by outlining show scripts, choosing impactful topics I would bring to the table, compiling lists of medical professionals and stakeholders I would interview to answer pertinent questions, and with fingers crossed I eventually launched my YouTube channel. Thankfully, I am a good writer, so this was like a walk in the park.

I did not want anyone to go through what I was going through and been through.

My show, Cancer Convos with Grace B. seeks to demystify the cancer disease by bringing on experts and stakeholders in the cancer space to give their valid takes. Subjects such as the effects of cancer on the physical and mental psyche, to be prepared way ahead of time, and the foolishness of not speaking out when something does not feel right are all part of the convos (conversations) I have a few male friends diagnosed with prostate cancer who had confessed hiding their cancer from their wives and partners. The same applies to some of my female friends too.

“Why?” I asked in shock. “When it comes to cancer, silence is NOT a cure,” I always reiterate. I constantly harp on the fact that if a lump or tumor is caught in time, treatment, healing, and remission is sure. If it does not feel right, then it is not.

What are valuable lessons you have learned along the way in the medical industry?

In the health space, I wear three hats: patient, survivor, and global patient leader.

As a patient and a survivor, I realized early in my journey that there are no hard or fast rules on how to deal with cancer or any other chronic illness. It takes a combination of faith, strength, and determination to hold on. There must first, be acknowledgement, acceptance, and getting battle ready to face the monster. There is no other choice than to pass through the fire to come out on the other side. Make constant affirmations that there will be light at the end of the tunnel, and you must believe it to be so. It is not always a smile and not necessarily a

frown either, as the experience will change you profoundly. For me, it is still a battle going on in there. Most days good vibes win, the other not too happy days may show face, but they are not welcome to stay, and this is because of my strong mindset. I intentionally push the bad thoughts way back into the recesses of my mind. The mind IS the man and you are what you think.

As a global patient leader, I am involved in cancer awareness, advocacy, and public policy. I read and share information on research and clinic trials. The opportunity to share my story, to raise awareness using my YouTube channel, Cancer Convos with Grace B. and the other global panels I am blessed to be a key part of, allows me to be a light and source of inspiration for those going through any tough diagnosis such as cancer. I want someone to say, “If Grace is able to overcome cancer, so will I.

” Whatever I can do to make a difference and inspire, I am all in. That is my WHY.

Valuable lessons I have learned in the medical industry as a patient leader is that no man is an island. Teamwork helps. You cannot create effective change on your own, you must seek partners and collaborators and not necessarily people who agree with you. Diverse opinions usually lead to successful outcomes, I have seen and experienced firsthand. In addition, I have learned to ignore diversions. If you put your finger in an ant’s path, what does it do? It walks around your finger and stays on the journey. Your finger does not stop its mission, does it? No, because its goal is paramount. Look at the awesome scientists and their clinical trials. They avoid diversions. They fail at their trials and pick up again until they finally get it right. Their mission and vision of saving humanity is the wind beneath their wings. It is a wonderful thing.

Is there any advice you would like to offer anyone else who may be going through cancer or any illness?

My advice to anyone who may be going through cancer or any other chronic illness is to acknowledge that there is a problem, accept it as your cross that YOU must bear, and be ready to fight the monster. Be sure to have loyal caregivers because this time is the acid test. It is during this time that you get to know who truly has your back. Mental resilience is also pertinent during this time. Challenge yourself as best as you can. Know that resilience is a muscle, you must work on it like you would work your abdominal muscles. You are vulnerable during this time. Being vulnerable is how you build your mental resilience.

Fear and gratitude cannot dwell in the same place. Just like light and darkness. I always choose gratitude.

My final advice is that patients who are actively involved in their treatments have better outcomes. I was and so should you.

How did you become a UN Ambassador?

I was presented with the Ambassador for Peace Award in 2011 by the Universal Peace Federation, an organization accredited with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC ) based on my tireless and passionate involvement in social and community-based activities in peace, governance, and persons living with disabilities in Nigeria. It came as a shock because I am one who loves to operate behind the scenes so when I got the letter informing me of the award, I asked my cousin and friend to collect it on my behalf. They would hear nothing of the sort! Nevertheless, I was mighty pleased and honored to be recognized for my commitment to those key societal issues.

In addition, I played key roles in the clamor for the convening of a National Conference through the Nigerian National Summit Group of which I am a founding member. The mission and vision of the initiative was to enable our Nigerian citizens play a participatory role in the continued development and sustainability of the nation.

My advocacy efforts with other committed stakeholders for the total inclusion of persons living with disabilities did not go unnoticed either as the Nigerian government passed the bill into law at that time for the total inclusion of the PWDs. Progress in our societies is meaningful when it provides dignity to all and when it is inclusive.

What is your five-year plan?

My five-year plan in a nutshell is to continue to use my voice to reiterate on the need for a new public health order in Africa. Healthcare in Africa must be accessible and inclusive, there must be affordable treatments and prescription drugs, underserved communities in the satellite towns and villages must be targeted, and information sharing among healthcare professionals must be strengthened. What are the basic things patients need? The quality of healthcare must be patient-centered, safe, efficient, timely, and equitable. I pray that in the next 5 years and going forward, electricity and broadband interconnectivity will be in most homes and hospitals so that telehealth can be accessed. We cannot afford to be left behind. It is the 21st century. We should constantly be reviewing our goals and going back to the drawing board again and again to re-strategize. Of course, I know this is a tall order but where there is a political will, there is a way. There is a gap between policy making and implementation. Once African governments can bridge this gap, things will fall into place. Nigeria is faring reasonably well in terms of promoting women empowerment, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/ AIDS, Malaria, and other diseases. The day we can all access Universal Health Coverage, even with our limited financial resources, I will be a happy woman.

Who is your inspiration and why?

Without being biased, I must confess my Mum was and still is my role model. As I highlighted earlier, she was an amazing woman. I am still trying to fit into just one of her shoes, and still find it difficult. She dedicated her service to the emancipation of women in Nigeria through several international organizations where she played pivotal roles. I still remember going with her to the houses of wives of 2 past Nigerian presidents for meetings. She was admired for her savviness and humility. As a blueblooded princess on her maternal side she was conspicuous in all palace activities. My parents dedicated their service to God through their support given to the building of the massive Presbyterian Church in Lagos in the 70’s which still stands towering until today. I guess I am a combination of my Dad’s diplomatic skills and my Mum’s demure social activism, no doubt. A stunning woman, she carried herself with respect and grace effortlessly, and did whatever she had to do almost to perfection.

What is your favourite pastime when you aren’t working?

I love music. I can be without the television for as long as necessary, but music? I do not think I would survive! I am crazy about Jazz, Afrobeat, Classical, and Instrumental music. I enjoy cooking and trying out new recipes with my daughter who is like me. We love food, but we are still slim! I love books! I have been an avid reader since childhood. Books no toys. Music, food, and books. In that order. That is me.

Do you support any charities or contribute to the community in any way? I support and donate to the American Cancer Society and to St Jude’s Research Hospital for childhood cancers.

I also support and mentor caregivers taking care of their loved ones diagnosed with cancer on what to say and what not to say at a time like this. Emotions are high and a great deal of patience is needed at this point. They love my mentorship program and vice-versa.