Sara Badreh, Senior Health and Research Projects Manager, European Cancer Patient Coalition
“I am a biochemist who after my masters degree conducted research at the Karolinska Institute in Solna, Sweden in the field of Medicine and more precise, Immunology. During my research years I was also very active in different political organisations such as EULAR, Lupus Europe and the Swedish Rheumatic Association, advocating for patients and policy changes. Being a researcher gave me the insights to how research and medicine works, and I could apply that insight to educating patients in layman language as well as knowing what changes the system needs when I advocate for policy changes at a national and an European level.
The plan was always to do a PhD in Medicine but after being so involved with patients advocacy I realised I could do more change now and faster if I took my experience already learned and used it when speaking to the profession and politicians. Being a patient myself also makes the intension of my work that much more motivating.”