June is a busy month at SHARE, as we mark Uterine Cancer Awareness Month, National Cancer Survivors Month, and Pride Month. So we are honored to spotlight a leader in our community whose work touches gynecologic cancers, cancer survivorship, and LGBTQIA+ health equity: Al Asante Facey, PA-C, MBA.
Al is the Associate Director of Advanced Practice Providers at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) and recipient of the 2025 Ann Grant Advocacy Award from SHARE. A dedicated physician assistant and a fierce proponent of health equity, Al empowers LGBTQIA+ people to advocate for themselves and navigate healthcare settings with confidence.
Al’s connection to SHARE started nearly a decade ago, when they were providing care for people with gynecologic cancers at a small cancer center. Seeing so many people struggle to access care, understand their options, and afford the costs associated with treatment, they recognized that their patients needed more support and guidance than the cancer center could offer on its own.
To spread the word about our patient navigation program, financial support, and other services, they started handing out SHARE brochures to their patients, and began to see a positive shift. Al told us this story about a woman who came to the cancer center after being diagnosed with an unexpected recurrence of uterine cancer:
“At our first visit, she was overwhelmed and shut down. I offered her a resource packet that included information from SHARE. She returned the next week asking about tumor testing, immunotherapy side effects, and clinical trial options. She told me that she had called SHARE’s hotline and had spent the last week getting support and education so she could be an active participant in her care. That moment showed me how SHARE empowers patients to take control of their disease.”
Since then, Al’s collaboration with SHARE has grown. They have shared their knowledge and lived experience with our community in our online platforms, at our Getting Our Fair SHARE conference to address healthcare disparities, and by leading information sessions like Out, Proud & Proactive: Gynecologic Cancer Risks, Screening & Self-Advocacy and Let’s Talk About It: Uterine Cancer Survivorship.
Al was instrumental in the launch of our LGBTQIA+ Initiative, which is dedicated to providing tailored support, education, and resources for individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community with breast/chest and gynecologic cancers. As an advisory board member, Al uses their expertise in gender-affirming care to help us develop inclusive programs, resources, and outreach to meet the unique needs of LGBTQIA+ people.
The resources and support that SHARE’s LGBTQIA+ Initiative offers are especially important today, as patients are facing more challenges within the healthcare system. Many people with, or at risk of, cancer are struggling to afford care due to reductions in health benefits and rising costs. LGBTQIA+ people are being confronted with more barriers to access gender-affirming care. And cuts to cancer research funding will have impacts on cancer prevention, treatment, and health equity for years to come.
Despite these challenges, Al still has hope that together, we can create a more just healthcare system for LGBTQIA+ people – and anyone who has been excluded. “The real antidote to so many of the issues in our healthcare system is human connection,” they say. “In the face of setbacks, community is what keeps us moving. We can–and must–take care of each other.”