Carmen Uscatu is the Founder and President of Dăruiește Viață/Give Life, a non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to bringing about significant changes within the Romanian healthcare system. Holding a BSc in Cybernetics and Economic Forecasting from the Bucharest University of Economical Studies, Uscatu combines her background in statistics and informatics with a passion for improving healthcare outcomes.
With a particular focus on cancer care, Uscatu participated in the Association of European Cancer Leagues’ Master’s course, “European Scholars Advocacy Course: Advocacy in action - Interacting with decision-makers to keep cancer high on the policy agenda.” This course equipped her with essential skills in advocating for cancer-related policies and engaging with decision-makers. It amplified her commitment to effecting change in cancer care at a systemic level.
Dedicated to fundraising and communication, Uscatu has successfully secured €74 million in donations over the past decade through Dăruiește Viață/Give Life, utilizing her expertise in fundraising, marketing and communication. The organization has garnered support from over 500,000 individual donors, showcasing the widespread impact of her work. Uscatu's leadership has also led to the development of Romania's first online fundraising platform, empowering both corporate sponsors and individual donors to contribute to the cause.
Her current primary project through Dăruiește Viață/Give Life is the construction of a state-of-the-art hospital for children with cancer in Bucharest. The hospital aims to be a beacon of hope, offering cutting-edge treatments, compassionate care and comprehensive family support.
Motivated by her desire to transform the Romanian healthcare system, Uscatu joined the St. Jude Graduate School Master of Global Child Health program. Her goal is to acquire the necessary tools and knowledge to support hospital teams, enhance their practices and generate evidence-based research that informs policy changes. Her research interests lie in leveraging data-driven insights to enhance patient care and optimize resource allocation in healthcare settings.
Ultimately, Uscatu aspires to narrow the gap in survival rates between Romania and western Europe for childhood cancers and catastrophic illnesses within the next decade.