45 WOTYA 2025 womanthismonth.com | JANUARY 2026 Winner of the Woman in Health category at the Woman of the Year Awards 2025, Dr. Noof Alshaibani is a leading Consultant in Breast Oncoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery with more than 20 years of clinical experience. Internationally trained and board-certified (MBBS, CABS, MRCS, FACS), she serves as Head of the Surgical Oncology Department at the Bahrain Oncology Center and Head of the Breast Health Center at Royal Medical Services. Renowned for advancing comprehensive breast care in the Kingdom, she continues to pioneer surgical innovation while championing women’s health, cancer awareness and early detection. What was a moment during the ceremony that felt most meaningful to you? The most meaningful moment was receiving a call from my sister, who attended the ceremony on my behalf while I was outside Bahrain, to tell me that I had won. In that moment, I felt that this recognition reflected not just my individual journey, but the lives of countless women and families affected by breast cancer. It truly felt like a collective achievement for my patients, my team, and every woman who trusted me with her care. Were there any reactions from family, team, or community that surprised you? What surprised me most was the emotional response from my team and my patients. Messages from women who said, “We feel proud because you represent us,” reminded me that leadership in medicine goes far beyond clinical outcomes. It is about hope, trust and representation. How has winning informed your priorities or plans since the awards night? This award reinforced my responsibility to think even bigger. It strengthened my commitment to system-level change, including expanding access to early detection, advancing specialised breast care, and ensuring that excellence in healthcare becomes the standard rather than the exception. How will you use the prize, platform, or network that came with this award? I plan to use this platform to amplify women’s health issues, particularly breast cancer awareness, prevention and survivorship. The network allows me to collaborate beyond medicine, with policymakers, educators and community leaders, to create sustainable and meaningful change. What concrete next steps or milestones are you committing to in the next 12 months? In the coming year, my focus will be on further strengthening the Breast Health Center as a national model of care, expanding public awareness initiatives centred on early detection, supporting training and mentorship pathways for young female surgeons, and advancing datadriven quality standards in cancer care across institutions. What is one piece of advice you would give to young women looking up to you now that you have won? Believe that your voice, ambition and compassion all belong in the same room. Do not wait for permission to lead. Excellence takes time, resilience and courage, but when you stay true to your purpose, your impact will always be greater than your fears.
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