Winner of the Victoria Cohen Scholarship 2023 announced – Dr. Miriam-Benigna Chika Amobi

Dr. Miriam-Benigna Chika Amobi has been selected as the winner of the Victoria Cohen Scholarship 2023.

The Victoria Cohen Eye Cancer Charitable Trust (VCECCT) received twenty applications from all over the world for this year’s award and the Judging Panel had an extremely difficult task drawing up a shortlist from the anonymised applications. Those shortlisted were then interviewed online by the charity’s panel of six leading ocular oncologists and a winner selected.

Dan Gombos, President of the International Society of Ocular Oncologists and Chair of the Judging Panel commented, ‘The committee was highly impressed with Dr Amobi’s enthusiasm and interest in ocular oncology. She spoke eloquently of her desire to treat eye cancers in her home country of Nigeria.’ 

Dr. Chika Amobi will take her fellowship at the Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel, and will be trained by Dr. Vicktoria Vishnevskia-Dai. When she has completed her fellowship, she will return to Nigeria to help those affected by eye cancer.

Dr Chika Amobi was delighted to be selected and said, ‘The VCECCT scholarship has just made my dream of becoming an ocular oncologist a reality. The journey of renewing hope and transforming the lives of many with ocular cancers in Nigeria and Africa has just begun.’ 

Nicholas Rapley, Chair of the VCECCT added, ‘The charity is delighted with the selection of Dr. Chika Amobi as the winner of this year’s Victoria Cohen Scholarship. As usual, we received a large number of high quality applicants; the charity is very grateful to all who applied and to the Judging Panel for their time and expertise. There are not enough ocular oncologists in the world, we are proud to support those who have the ability but not the means to become an eye surgeon. I have no doubt that Dr. Amobi will go on to save the lives, eyes, and vision of countless individuals affected by eye cancer in Nigeria.’

The deadline for applications for next year’s Scholarship is 31^stDecember 2023. See here for details.