The leaders, advisors and surgeons behind GCCF.

Dr. Alagaratnam MBBS is the Chief executive officer and President of the Global Cancer Care Foundation. Apart from being a physician and an entrepreneur, she is a dedicated mother of two girls and a home maker. She is passionate about serving patients from under privileged countries and keen to make a difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families.

Dr. David Pan M.B.B.S (Melb) FRACS (Urol) is an Urologic Oncologist and a specialist in the area of robotic surgery and minimally Invasive Surgery. After completing his urological training in Melbourne, Dr. Pan was awarded a formal Urologic Oncology fellowship at the University of Miami, USA. Dr. David Pan has appointments as consultant urologist at Monash Medical Centre and the Austin Health. He is a member of the Medical Advisory Committee (Urology) at the Valley Private Hospital. He is a current member of the Urology Specialty Examination Group at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He is an active member of the Urologic Society of Australia and New Zealand, the Australasian College of Surgeons, the Society of Urologic Oncology and the America Urologic Association.

Mr. Chandrasekaran is a chartered accountant, writer, speaker and an entrepreneur. He has published a few novels, dozens of shorts stories, and hundreds of essays. His focus is on spirituality, life knowledge and creativity..

Dr. Raj Ayyathurai, M.D is minimally invasive and robotic surgeon at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Raj Ayyathurai received his medical degree and surgical residency from Coimbatore Medical College. He started his urology career in the U.K. He completed residency in Urology and two year research fellowship at the University of Miami, U.S.A. A frequent contributor to urologic literature, he has published over 100 peer reviewed articles, abstracts and book chapters. His interests are robotic urologic oncology and tumor thrombus in renal cell cancer. He is a member of Association of Surgeons of India, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and American Urologic Association. He spends time in surgical product development and photography.

Dr. M. Manoharan MD, FRCS(Eng), FRACS(Urol) is an Urologic Oncologist and a Professor of Urology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He serves as the director of urologic oncology fellowship program and as a co leader of genitourinary oncology group at the Sylvester cancer center. He is internationally known for his expertise in bladder and prostate cancer treatment, robotic surgery and urinary reconstruction. He has served a member in the international bladder cancer guidelines committee. He has delivered several lectures in both national and international scientific meetings and conducted urological workshops. He has published more than 125 articles in peer reviewed journals and authored 15 text book chapters. He is an active investigator in several urologic oncology research studies. He completed his urology training in New Zealand and urologic oncology training at University of Miami.

Dr. Raj Ayyathurai, M.D is minimally invasive and robotic surgeon at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Raj Ayyathurai received his medical degree and surgical residency from Coimbatore Medical College. He started his urology career in the U.K. He completed residency in Urology and two year research fellowship at the University of Miami, U.S.A. A frequent contributor to urologic literature, he has published over 100 peer reviewed articles, abstracts and book chapters. His interests are robotic urologic oncology and tumor thrombus in renal cell cancer. He is a member of Association of Surgeons of India, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and American Urologic Association. He spends time in surgical product development and photography.

Dr. David Pan M.B.B.S (Melb) FRACS (Urol) is an Urologic Oncologist and a specialist in the area of robotic surgery and minimally Invasive Surgery. After completing his urological training in Melbourne, Dr. Pan was awarded a formal Urologic Oncology fellowship at the University of Miami, USA. Dr. David Pan has appointments as consultant urologist at Monash Medical Centre and the Austin Health. He is a member of the Medical Advisory Committee (Urology) at the Valley Private Hospital. He is a current member of the Urology Specialty Examination Group at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He is an active member of the Urologic Society of Australia and New Zealand, the Australasian College of Surgeons, the Society of Urologic Oncology and the America Urologic Association.

Dr. Jessica Yin MBBS FRACS is a Urological surgeon based in Perth, Western Australia. Her subspecialty interest is in Female Urology, Continence and Reconstruction. She practices at Hollywood Private Hospital and is the Urologist at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women, working with the Urogynaecology Unit. She is on the Female Urology Special Advisory Group for the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand and a Senior Lecturer at Notre Dame University. She is the former State Chair of the Royal College of Surgeons and a past board member for the Continence Advisory Service of WA. Most importantly she is a mother of 2 National sportsman, a partner in crime to her husband Andrej and a servant to her dog. She enjoys paddle-boarding, canoeing, climbing, running, fishing and boating and has only temporarily retired from skydiving.

Dr. Patrick Bary FRACS (Urol) is a New Zealand urologist whose main surgical interest is in reconstructive urology. He has also been involved in programs teaching surgeons how to teach and for some years has undertaken visiting urology work in the South Pacific. He is a past president of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand.

Dr Rajan Ravindran (known as Ravi) is a Hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgeon based in Edinburgh, UK. His expertise lies in the diagnosis and treatment of both benign and malignant conditions of the liver, gallbladder, bile duct and pancreas. He graduated from Madras Medical College, India in 1988. After his initial medical and surgical training in India, he moved to the United Kingdom in 1993 to pursue his advanced training in General Surgery, developing a particular interest in HPB disorders. His practice includes open and keyhole surgery of the gallbladder, liver and pancreas. He also performs endoscopic procedures for the treatment of bile duct and pancreatic duct pathology. Ravi was appointed as a Consultant surgeon in Aberdeen, Scotland in 2002 and moved to The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, as a Consultant General/HPB surgeon in 2007. Furthermore, he is Clinical Director at the Department of General Surgery, in which his main interests are in streamlining pathways to achieve earlier diagnoses, and treating patients presenting to general surgery department. He is an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh and he is actively involved in the teaching and training of undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Dr. Tev Aho moved from New Zealand to Cambridge in 2003 to complete a 1 year fellowship in uro-oncology with Prof David Neal. This included training in open pelvic surgery for prostate and bladder cancer and open surgery for kidney cancer, as well as Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection for testicular cancer. He was appointed as a consultant urological surgeon at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge in 2004. He helped establish laparoscopic surgery for kidney cancer at Addenbrookes, and currently performs both laparoscopic and open surgery for all kinds of kidney cancer. He is the clinical lead for kidney cancer in Cambridge, which is one of the highest volume kidney cancer centres in the UK. His other area of interest is Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate. Having performed more than 1000 HoLEPs he is the most experienced HoLEP surgeon in the UK. Dr. Tev Aho is committed to surgical training and was the founding President of the UK Holmium User Group. He was the Urology Training Programme Director in the East of England for 5 years, and is currently on the Urology Specialist Advisory Committee which is responsible for the organisation and management of Urology training in the UK.

Dr Ananthakrishnan Sivaraman is a renowned cancer surgeon and works as a consultant Urologist and Director of Robotic Surgery at Apollo Hospitals and Chennai Urology Clinic, Chennai, India. He is well recognized internationally for his educational contributions and advancement of robotic surgery in the fight against cancer.

Mohan Arianayagam is a Urologic Oncologist working in Sydney, Australia. His main interest is minimally invasive surgery for prostate, bladder and kidney cancer. He performs robotic surgery for bladder cancer with total intra corporeal urinary diversion and also unclamped laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. Dr. Arianayagam trained in Australia and spent two years at the Miller School of Medicine Department of Urology where he completed a fellowship in Urologic Oncology under the supervision of Professor Manoharan. He is a Senior Lecturer at the Australian School of Advanced Medicine at Macquarie University and takes an active role in teaching advanced trainees in urologic surgery via the Royal Australian College of Surgeons.

DR KUMAR THANGARAJ MBBS,FRCS(Ed),FRCS(Glasg),FRCS(ORL-HNS) currently practices Adult & Pediatric ENT Surgery in Western Australia. He obtained his Medical qualification from Chennai, India and underwent Basic and Advanced Otolaryngology/Head & Neck training in United Kingdom & Ireland. He obtained Fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and Glasgow. He further obtained his Fellowship from the Intercollegiate Specialty Board in Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, UK. He has obtained post fellowship advanced training in Pediatric Otolaryngology in Perth, Australia and also Head & Neck Cancer Surgery in Melbourne, Australia. Dr. Thangaraj has special interests in Pediatric sleep apnoea disorders, Adult Voice disorders and Molecular Biology of Head & Neck Cancer.

Dr. Motoo Araki, M.D., Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Urology at Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Japan. He had a urological oncology fellowship at University of Miami in 2006.

Dr. Andrew Williams BMedSc, MBChB, FRACS is a Urological Oncologist working in Auckland, New Zealand. He completed Urology training in New Zealand before completing Urological Oncology training at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. He is Chairman of the New Zealand Board of Urology, Medical advisor to the Prostate Cancer Foundation Of New Zealand and is actively involved in guideline committees for the New Zealand Ministry of Health. His research interests are in the management of advanced Prostate Cancer and the management of high risk Kidney Cancer.

Dr Elie Antebi MD, FRCSC completed his undergraduate bachelor degree in Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) at the University of Montreal followed by his Masters degree (M.Sc.) in Pharmacy with a joint program of the University of Montreal and McGill University. He obtained his Medical Doctorate from Laval University and pursued his specialty in Urology at the University of Montreal. Dr. Antebi completed a fellowship in Urologic Oncology at the University of Miami in Miami, Florida. He also obtained the title of Clinical Instructor in Urology (teacher in clinical and surgical duties) and vice director of the Urology residency program in Miami. His research interests are mostly focused on urological cancers. He is author of many publications in well-established and reputable medical journals. He has presented many abstracts and videos in national and international meetings. He has extensive experience in open, laparoscopic and robotic surgery in the treatment of urologic cancers that can affect the kidneys, the bladder, the prostate, the testis and the rest of the urinary tract. He is affiliated to the Cancer Center of the Montérégiearea at the Charles Lemoyne hospital where he treats cancer patients in partnership with medical oncologists and radiation oncologists.

Dr. Matthew Acker MD, FRCSC is a Urologist with clinical and research interests in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers arising from the Genitourinary system. He received his Doctor of Medicine and completed Urology Residency training at Dalhousie University in Canada. He pursued further Fellowship training in Urologic Oncology at Jackson Memorial Hospital and the University of Miami. His research interests are in clinical outcomes of urologic cancers. Dr. Acker has a keen interest in global health, equality of care and fair access to health care services. He strongly believes that with health comes hope and success.

Dr. Palanisamy Rajasekaran is a Practicing Pediatrician who specialized in Neonatal-Perinatal medicine. He graduated from Madras Medical College in 1987 and did his Pediatric residency in Cook Country Children’s hospital, Chicago. He did his fellowship in Neonatal Perinatal medicine in University of Maryland, Baltimore. He served as an Assistant professor in Neonatology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. Currently he is working as an attending Neonatologist in Gwinnett Medical center, Lawrenceville, Emory Johns Creek Hospital, Johns Creek, & Rockdale Medical Center, Conyers, GA, USA.

Dr. Ganesh Bakshi is currently In charge & Associate Professor of the department of Uro oncology at the Tata Memorial Hospital at Mumbai, India. He has completed his Urological training at the Grant Medical College, Mumbai in 2003 after which he worked as a fellow in department of Uro oncology at the Tata Memorial Hospital. He subsequently was in private practice in Urology & Uro oncology for 5 years, attached to a few good hospitals. He then joined Tata Memorial Hospital as Assistant Professor. He contributes to this academic institution in the areas of service, education and research. Tata Memorial Hospital at Mumbai, India is a government owned teaching hospital and a premier cancer institute in India. It registers approximately 35000 new cancer cases each year. Apart from doing all urological cancer surgeries, Dr. Bakshi spends a good time in teaching post graduates, uro oncology fellows, nursing students and urologists from other areas. He is involved in research, basic and translational and also audits of selected patient groups. He has many publications to his credit. He has been on advisory boards of various pharmaceuticals. He has been an active member of urological society in Mumbai and served on its council. At Tata Memorial Hospital, he has been the secretary of the Uro oncology Disease Management group for the last 2 years.

Dr. K.C. Balaji, MD, Professor is a urological oncologist, a prostate cancer basic science researcher and a pioneer in field of robotic cancer surgery. A medical graduate of Madras University in India, Dr. Balaji completed his clinical and research training through urology residency from University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA and fellowship in urological oncology from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.

Gaetano Ciancio, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S. Chief Medical Officer, Miami Transplant Institute Chief Academic Officer, Miami Transplant Institute Director, Urologic Transplant Surgery Professor of Surgery and Urology

Dr. Ramgopal Satyanarayana is an Associate professor of urology working in University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. His areas of focus are in robotic Urological surgery, renal stones and reconstructive Urological surgery. He has to his credit two fellowships one in Uro-Oncology and the other in Robotics and Minimally invasive Urology from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI, USA. He has been a Urologist for over 23 years both in India and USA. In India he was in-charge head of the department of Urology in Kasturba Medical College Manipal, rated as one of the top ten Medical schools in India. He has served as chief of Urology in one of the philanthropic based hospital in India for 2 years. He also volunteers in community-based health care both here and abroad. He teaches residents in Urology from India through electronic media over the weekends.

Dr Raghunath S.K received his undergraduate (MBBS) and postgraduate (MS, General Surgery) from Government Medical College, Mysore university. Completed residency in urology (DNB) from Muljibhai Patel urological hospital, Nadiad, Gujarat. He completed fellowship in Uro-Oncology at Rajiv Gandhi cancer institute and research center (RGCI), Delhi. Then he worked as associate consultant Uro-Oncologist at RGCI. He was then selected for fellowship in laparoscopic and minimally invasive urology at Taipei City hospital and Mackey Memorial hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. He currently serves as Senior Consultant Uro-Oncologist at Sri Shankara cancer Hospital and research center and Health Care Global (HCG) hospital, Bangalore. Dr Raghunath participated as principal investigator in 8 and co-investigator in 4 clinical trials in the field of prostate and renal cancers. He has several national and international publications to his credit. He was a visiting fellow at Centre for Prostate Disease Research (CPDR) and Walter Reed army university, at Maryland, USA (April – May 2013). He is a peer reviewer in Indian Journal of Surgical oncology. He is instrumental in setting up 1st exclusive Uro oncology department in South India and the first one to start HIFU treatment for prostate cancer in Karnataka state. Dr Raghunath is the founder chairman of Global Prostate Disease Foundation, an NGO which is involved in conducting camps and creating public awareness about prostate cancer and educating doctors to detect prostate cancer early and to treat appropriately by conducting CMEs

Dr. Anandan Subramaniam is a General Practitioner based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He has special interests in Dermatology and Anti-Aging Medicine. He has held advisory positions for innovator drug companies and has also contributed as member of Rotary International. He has participated in a number of Community Service projects, one which led him to win an award for outstanding project from Rotary District 3300(Cleft Lip/Palate Project-“Put a Smile Back to the Little Face-2001).He has been a Guest Lecturer in Anti-Aging Medicine in numerous Conferences in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. He has served as Coordinator and Examiner for The American Board of Anti-Aging Regenerative Medicine, USA. In 2008 he received “The Certificate in Appreciation and Recognition of Outstanding services towards the development and teaching of Anti-Aging Regenerative Medicine in Asia” from The American Academy of Anti-Aging Regenerative Medicine.

Dr Kishore Thekke Adiyat MBBS, M.S., DNB, Mch, DNB, MRCS (Edin) is currently working as a Consultant Urologist and Transplant surgeon in ASTER Med city, Cochin. Dr. Kishore and team in Aster Medicity performs first robotic surgery in Kerala. His main area of interests are urologic oncology, renal transplantation and Endourology. He is a specialist in complex renal transplantation surgeries including multiple vessels, anomalous vessels and right sided donor nephrectomies. He has performed over 400 kidney transplants and laparoscopic donor nephrectomies. He also performs single port donor nephrectomies and is the first person in India to perform donor nephrectomy through trans-vaginal route. He has the second largest series in the world in trans-vaginal donor nephrectomy. Dr. Kishore is trained in Endourology from University of Minnesota under the Tutelage of Dr. Manoj Monga and Kyle Anderson and routinely performs Flexible ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Dr. Kishore has his training in robotic surgery and advanced urologic oncology from University of Miami under Dr. Mark Soloway and Dr. Manoharan and has performed more than 150 robotic procedures. He is an expert in robotic prostatectomy, cystectomy with neobladder, laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and perform open oncological procedure like renal tumours with inferior venecaval involvement. Above all Dr. Kishore is liked by his patients for his smiling face, reassuring face and caring attitude towards them.

Dr. Obi Ekwenna, is a practicing Urologist and Transplant Surgeon. He has extensive experience working with global charitable organizations that provide medical and surgical services to underserved communities. Among which include; the Haitian Transplant Foundation focused on providing Renal Transplantation for the Haitian people, and Medicsonamission through which urologic surgical services are provided annually to patients at St. Ann’s Bay Hospital in Jamaica. Dr. Obi Ekwenna is passionate about serving the underserved in the global village, and as the co-founder of AIM (AfricansinMedicine), a US charitable organization, he leads an effort in providing services to communities in sub Saharan Africa. He is married with two children, and lives in the Chicago area.