Spain honors Stella Kyriakides for global impact on cancer care

Former European Union Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides was recognized in Spain on Monday for her role in shaping Europe’s fight against cancer.

The ECO Foundation for Excellence and Quality in Oncology awarded Kyriakides the title of “Most Influential International Political Personality in Oncology” for 2025. The ceremony was held at the Royal National Academy of Medicine in Madrid during the group’s 13th annual awards.

Kyriakides, who served as the EU’s Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, was praised for her leadership in creating and promoting Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, an ambitious strategy aimed at prevention, early detection, and equal access to treatment across the bloc.

The ECO Foundation said her work helped strengthen cancer care not just in Europe but worldwide, noting her “political and institutional leadership” as a catalyst for progress in oncology.

Accepting the award, Kyriakides called the honor a recognition of “collective work,” crediting the European Commission and EU member states for backing initiatives that put patients and families at the center of cancer policy.

“It is a great honor to receive this distinction,” she said, adding that the EU’s strategy was always about supporting “our fellow human beings with cancer at its centre.”