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Marie Goretti Uwayezu, a PhD candidate at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, is a recipient of the presented by Universities Canada/Universités Canada.

Funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the annual award is given to PhD students with the goal of supporting the development of their research skills in Canada and the global South to help improve the lives of people in the developing world.

Uwayezu is originally from Rwanda, where she worked as an oncology nurse, clinical instructor and assistant lecturer in the University of Rwanda’s School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Her research explores the association between social demographic factors and health-focused ideologies on breast cancer screening practices in Rwanda, where many women are diagnosed with breast cancer at later stages once the disease has already progressed.

Uwayezu is hopeful that her research will support future recommendations to improve earlier detection. “Detecting breast cancer at an earlier stage improves survival and care options immensely, and we should be doing all we can to ensure women in Rwanda have the opportunity to access the care that they need and deserve,” says Uwayezu.