Jessica Paken

University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Title: Beyond Survival in Cervical Cancer: Empowering Women Through Research and Collaboration

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Biography

Dr Jessica Paken is a Senior Lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and an internationally recognised clinician-scientist in women’s cancer survivorship and ototoxicity. She holds a PhD in Audiology and lead a sustained programme of globally relevant research on cisplatin-associated ototoxicity in women treated for cervical cancer, with findings published in leading international journals including BMC Cancer and BMC Women’s Health. Her work has informed multidisciplinary and policy-relevant approaches to survivorship care in resource-constrained health systems. Dr Paken has received multiple national and institutional research awards, including the South African Medical Research Council National Health Scholarship Programme, and regularly presents at international scientific and clinical forums. Her research advances collaborative, person-centred models of care that align with global women’s health and cancer survivorship priorities.

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