The Johnson Rose Cancer Foundation is led by a dedicated team of volunteer cancer care professionals. All our leaders donate their time to the Foundation. Our Board of Directors is composed of oncologists, business and managed healthcare professionals, academic experts, patient advocates and social workers from the South African oncology community.
The Johnson Rose Cancer Foundation was founded and is currently chaired by Dr Naidoo, the director of the De Mûelenaere Oncology Group and a radiation oncologist. From 2017 to 2021, Dr Naidoo was the Radiation Oncology Advisor to the South African Ministry of Health and contributed to the South African National Cancer Prevention and Control Plan 2017-2022.
Dr Naidoo was also an Honorary Lecturer in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of the Witwatersrand’s Faculty of Health Sciences from 2018 to 2020. In addition, Dr Naidoo served on the executive committee of the South African Society of Clinical and Radiation Oncology (SASCRO) from 2017 to 2019.
While serving on the Sandton Mediclinic Multidisciplinary Tumour Board, Breast Wellness Centre Multidisciplinary Tumour Board and Morningside Breast Multidisciplinary Tumour Board as an executive board member, Dr Naidoo also belongs to the European Society of Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO). Trained by ESTRO, Dr Naidoo is drawn to Stereotactic Radiosurgery despite his special interests in Breast Cancer, Gynae Oncology, Gastrointestinal Cancers and Neuro Oncology. With a passion for research, Dr Naidoo is working towards completing a PhD in Oncology.
Dr Tabane became the first black medical oncologist in South Africa in 2008, joined Sandton Oncology in July of that year and currently serves as a director.
Dr Tabane is a current executive member of the Breast Interest Group of South Africa (BIGOSA) and a former member of the South African Society of Medical Oncology’s (SASMO) executive committee. In addition, Dr Tabane belongs to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), as well as the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO).
Dr Tabane is a Principal Investigator and Sub Investigator on several international collaborative clinical trials through the Sandton Oncology Research Unit, while being credited as a member of the Morningside Breast Care multidisciplinary team as well as the Breast Wellness MDT. Dr Tabane’s primary research interests are breast cancer, gynaecological cancers and immunotherapy, which involves “correcting” the immune system to allow for better detection of cancers by the body’s own immune mechanisms.
Dr Ogude was born in Nairobi, attended and graduated from Sacred Heart College in Johannesburg before receiving a medical degree (MBChB) from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2005.
In 2007, Dr Ogude completed a year of community service at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital after finishing an internship at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. With consistent effort, was eventually named Intern of the Year.
In 2011, Dr Ogude became a member of the Royal College of Physicians having completed a specialist degree in Internal Medicine (Specialist Physician) and then proceeded to complete a superspecialization in medical oncology in 2014. Currently chairing and participating in a number of multidisciplinary forums in Johannesburg. Dr Ogude is particularly interested in colon, breast, lung, gynaecological and haematological cancers.
Ms Greeff is a clinical social worker who currently serves as the chair of the Cancer Alliance and on the Ministerial Task Team for Cancer. She has a master’s degree in social work and has pioneered oncology social work in South Africa as an ovarian cancer survivor since 1997.
Ms Greeff is passionate about facilitating and developing oncology support services in South Africa and throughout Africa. Who, along with Dr Lynn Edwards, co-developed an important grassroots research project between 2014 and 2017 that serves as the foundation for the Cancer Alliance’s advocacy agenda. It has also informed many different levels of advocacy in the cancer terrain in South Africa for the last five years.
As co-founder of ‘People Living with Cancer/Cancer Buddies’ and the South African Oncology Social Work Forum, Ms Greeff’s extensive contributions also include research articles in peer reviewed publications.
Her work includes research articles in peer reviewed publications, she is a co-founder of ‘People Living with Cancer/Cancer Buddies’ and the South African Oncology Social Work Forum.
Icon Oncology’s Chief Operating Officer, Dr Ernst Marais, also oversees Icon Managed Care. He advocates for the implementation of value-based care (VBC), an approach focusing on improving clinical outcomes while lowering costs.
Dr Marais is an experienced oncology professional who has developed several solutions for providers and funders in the private healthcare sector. Having negotiated and implemented the first oncology value-based agreement with Discovery Health, which now includes nearly 10,000 cancer patients.
Dr Marais has also successfully negotiated and implemented oncology managed care agreements with South Africa’s major medical scheme administrators, as well as radiotherapy provider contracts with provincial governments (public-private initiatives). Dr Marais holds an MB.CH.B from the University of the Free State as well as an MBA from the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business.
Ms Sebastian has worked in the NGO sector for 15 years as a researcher, programme manager, advocate and consultant in several African countries, including South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Having led national non-profit organisations in paediatric oncology and palliative care, Ms Sebastian was an outspoken advocate for the inclusion of palliative care in Zimbabwe’s public health system. This pivotal contribution resulted in a national strategy.
As a consultant, Ms Sebastian has led and participated in several public health consultancies for a variety of international donors, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Global Fund, the Rockefeller Foundation and the World Health Organization (WHO). Ms Sebastian graduated with honours from Rhodes University and holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of the Western Cape.
