We shine the spotlight on Professor Greta Dreyer, a  leader in gynaecologic oncology whose work has transformed patient care, research, and education in South Africa and beyond. As Head of the Women’s Cancer Research Group, leader of the VACCS Consortium, and current President of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society, Prof Dreyer has combined surgical expertise, groundbreaking research, and a passion for mentorship to address some of the most pressing challenges in women’s health. In this interview, Acting Deputy Dean Prof. Greta Dreyer shares insights into her journey, vision for advancing cancer prevention and treatment, and the core values driving her impactful career.

You’ve had a long and distinguished career in gynaecologic oncology. What inspired you to pursue this particular field of medicine?

My road to Gynaecology as a discipline and eventually to cancer surgery was mostly one of “evolution”. I had always been inspired by medical interventions with a bigger societal impact – in that way I am a public health enthusiast at core and “woman and child” was always in my view. But surgery chose me without me officially choosing surgery. Perhaps it was personality, perhaps it was talent, perhaps it was just the right place at the right time.

In our country, women’s cancer has devastating effects on the individual, the family and the larger society. One can choose the career for any of those reasons - but in the end care for the individual patient is what I find most meaningful. Whether it is to cure the disease (which often happens) or whether it is just to accompany the woman on the difficult journey towards end-of-life.

You trained both locally and internationally, in places like Leuven, Edinburgh and Utrecht. How did those experiences shape your approach to patient care and academic work?

In South Africa we have large patient numbers and excellent surgical experience – so I was already partially trained in Pretoria when I studied abroad. But in Europe I learnt more about the “finesse” of the discipline, such as laparoscopic technique, better access to advanced imaging, multidisciplinary collaboration (even in the 1990s!), genetic testing and counselling, etc. At the time of my studies in Utrecht, euthanasia was being formalised and that created a very special learning opportunity. It impacted on my views of life and death, on the limited role that physicians have on timing of death, but also the huge responsibility to alleviate suffering where we can.

The personal involvement of clinical mentors of international standing, like proff Peter Heintz and Ignace Vergote, had a significant impact on my personal and professional development. In addition, the opportunity to learn and do DNA extraction, PCR and genetic analysis in the genetics laboratory was priceless. It resulted not only in a PhD, but also in a career as physician-scientist and clinician-researcher. Being successful in such an advanced professional society strengthened my confidence as clinician, as a scientist and as a person.

Cancer prevention and surgical intervention are at the heart of your research. What excites you most about the future of women’s cancer treatment in South Africa?

Vaccination against cancer gives us a fighting chance against HPV-related cancers. For the first time. Having these vaccines produced at affordable prices as is currently done in India, is what is really needed for the developing world. I hope that HPV screening will also help, but the exciting part is our improving ability to treat the large numbers of women who screen positive and is therefore at risk to get cancer.

If we cannot prevent cancer, surgery is only effective for early stage disease. The ability to detect cancer in early stage and therefore to “downstage” the disease means we can prevent premature cancer deaths. And that ability is constantly improving!

You currently lead the Women’s Cancer Research Group and the VACCS Consortium. What have been some of the most rewarding aspects of building and leading these teams?

Firstly, it is fun to work in a team. Secondly, it is a huge challenge to get and keep a team of professionals together – and I love a challenge. Thirdly, it is most rewarding to witness personal and professional growth when people are offered new opportunities and gain skills.

You’ve played a major role in postgraduate training, including training South Africa’s first College-examined, part-time subspecialists. What motivates your commitment to mentorship and education?

I guess the motivation is mostly the huge need for skilled surgeons, as patient numbers soar and alternatives like radiation remains scarce or absent. This need is prominent in rural societies within South Africa, but is acute in most African countries and developing countries all over the world. I richly received, so I wish to hand out as well.

With more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, several book chapters, and editorial work, what drives your passion for academic writing and publishing?

My training did not emphasise medical scientific writing enough, so I understood its importance only relatively late in my career. With clinical work, there always seem to be something more urgent to do. My sincere wish to see our discipline and University excel, as well as noticing an unmet need, pressed me to start and edit two journals. Eventually I also realised that my own research results were getting outdated, so I just had to start writing it up. I am still behind, but at each international meeting I realise our huge potential to contribute globally.

You’ve served in major leadership roles nationally and internationally—including your current role as President of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS). What has this global engagement taught you?

Firstly, let me say what a huge privilege and responsibility it is to be chosen for this type of role. One realises that especially when you witness the enormous talent and intellect around you in the room!

Secondly, my experience is that most “global” societies consist mostly of members from the Global North and therefor input from less affluent countries is critically important to reset priorities in line with the realities of the world. Lessons learnt in our context can be very helpful to improve sustainability in medicine and limit medical inflation.

Lastly, working internationally made me appreciate being South African even more. The cultural, language, and economic diversity that is our everyday reality makes us strong and adaptable and helps us to appreciate what we have. South African “signature humour” goes very far to help lighten our burden and build bridges. In medicine, the combination of reasonable resources and huge disease burdens position us to be able to provide training and answers that the world craves.

What would you say are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing young women entering academic medicine today?

Two internship years plus a community service year without freedom of choice or job certainty is a very unfriendly arrangement for women (with and without partners) – I see it as an obstacle and a threat more than the opportunity that it is meant to be. Safety at work, a steady and certain income, working predictable hours and with reasonable supervision and teaching should all be non-negotiables - today it is not so in Government institutions.

On the other hand, my experience is that women are not inherently limited by their gender, and may in some respects even be advantaged. We are limited by hours – the 24 hours per day need to cover all conflicting priorities. Unfairly, women without families are often expected to cover when others are taking family time such as school holidays.

The biggest opportunity is probably the freedom that comes with economic and political liberation. Women can be exactly who they wish to be!

How do you balance your clinical, teaching, research, and leadership responsibilities, and still make time for yourself?

I drop some of the many balls that I am supposed to keep in the air, rather than to NOT take an evening a week and some weekend days off. Is it good, or is it bad?

What advice would you give to the next generation of women in health sciences who hope to lead, research, and inspire change?

Make the world your playing field as early as you can and start publishing as soon as possible. Trust your own opinion, design your own trials and determine your own destiny. Seek strong partners and collaborate!

Finally, what does the phrase “Women of Impact” mean to you?

Difficult: I suppose it means women who work for change…and women who leaves the world a better place that what they found it!