Dr. Ashanda R. Esdaille has been officially and formally named the recipient of the prestigious 2025 Health Equity Fellowship by the Urology Care Foundation. As a urologic oncologist and assistant professor at the Medical College of Georgia, Dr. Esdaille has done important work to help reduce the differences in prostate cancer care, especially for people who don’t have the same access to good healthcare. She’s received recognition for her efforts, and her work is helping to make healthcare more fair and equal for everyone.
Dr. Esdaille cares about making sure everyone gets the same good healthcare. This passion has guided her work as a urology doctor and helped her make a difference in people’s lives.
A proud alumna of Spelman College and Morehouse School of Medicine, she has always been driven and motivated by a deep desire to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others. Her research focuses on understanding and addressing disparities in prostate cancer, examining variations in incidence, prevalence, treatment, and outcomes across diverse populations.
Urinary Health is a pressing concern that demands immediate and sustained action. Prostate cancer, in particular, affects racial and ethnic minorities, especially African American men, who face a significantly higher risk of developing the disease and dying from it. Dr. Esdaille’s work shines a necessary spotlight on these concerns, highlighting the importance of setting targeted goals, implementing culturally sensitive interventions, and investing in community-driven programs that bridge gaps in care and improve patient outcomes.
The HEALCARE Program stands as one of Dr. Esdaille’s most impactful achievements, a community-centered nutritional education initiative aimed at advancing equal cancer care and prevention. By addressing the root causes of health inequalities, HEALCARE supports individuals and communities to take control of their well-being, giving them the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions. Through providing education that supports people in making healthy choices on healthy eating, lifestyle choices, and practical tips for sustainable change, the program works to reduce the burden of prostate cancer among high-risk populations. The HEALCARE Program has shown promising results in improving patient outcomes and reducing disparities in prostate cancer care.
The Urology Care Foundation’s Health Equity Fellowship is a swift response to one of the most urgent challenges in medicine: urological health disparities, especially in prostate cancer outcomes for Black men and underserved communities. This pioneering two-year program equips early-career urologists with mentorship, funding, and a tailored curriculum rooted in urban bioethics. Fellows gain hands-on training and experience in a clinical setting, advocacy, community-based research, and culturally competent care, all while completing a project that gives academic insight into real-world impact.
As a Health Equity Fellow, Dr. Ashanda Esdaille will have the opportunity to further develop her clinical research and community-based programs, deepening her commitment to advancing equity in urology care. Her work, centered on nutrition education and prostate cancer prevention, reflects the fellowship’s core mission. Through continued mentorship and hands-on experience, she joins a growing cadre of early-career urologists dedicated to reshaping the field with culturally competent, patient-centered care.
Dr. Esdaille’s path is just beginning, but the legacy she’s building will echo through communities for generations. She remains committed to her mission of promoting health equity and improving outcomes for patients with urologic cancers. Community-based interventions, such as the HEALCARE program, play a critical role in promoting health equity. By targeting high-risk populations and providing education on healthy lifestyle choices, these programs can help reduce disparities in health outcomes.
The future of health equity in urology is promising, with increasing recognition of the importance of addressing disparities in health outcomes. Dr. Esdaille’s work and the Urology Care Foundation’s Health Equity Fellowship demonstrate the commitment of the urology community to promoting health equity. As clinical research and interventions continue to expand and evolve, we will likely see significant improvements in health outcomes for patients with urologic cancers.
For more information on the fellowship, visit: www.UrologyHealth.org/HealthEquityFellow
Urology Care Foundation Website: https://www.urologyhealth.org/
Contact Data:
Urology Care Foundation
443-689-4033
cdelbianco@auanet.org
