Year of birth: 1956

Wikipedia

BIOGRAPHY

Stella Kyriakides, born in Cyprus, studied psychology at Reading University (UK). She specialized in supporting children and adolescents facing abuse, cancer, and autism. After her breast cancer diagnosis in 1996, she founded Cyprus’s first Breast Cancer Awareness Group and later led Europa Donna. Elected to Cyprus Parliament in 2006, she chaired the Human Rights Committee and advanced related legislation. In 2012, she became Head of Cyprus’s Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). In 2017, she was elected as the 30th President of PACE, its 4th female president. From 2019 to 2024, she has served as EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, notably during the Covid-19 pandemic. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science for her leadership during the crisis. As a policymaker, she championed the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, further embedding breast cancer and metastatic disease into the EU's strategic health framework.