MCG, GCC professor named 2025 Health Equity Fellow

The Urology Care Foundation, the world’s leading nonprofit urological health foundation, has named Ashanda R. Esdaille, MD, the recipient of the 2025 Health Equity Fellowship.

Esdaille is a urologic oncologist at the Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University and serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Urology at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.

The two-year Health Equity Fellowship was created for early-career urologists who are passionate about humanitarian work and dedicated to improving care for diverse and underserved communities. This program blends education, advocacy and real-world community engagement.

“I am truly honored to be selected for this fellowship, which will equip me with the tools to engage more deeply with communities, forge meaningful partnerships and strengthen my ability to serve marginalized and minoritized populations,” Esdaille said. “This opportunity will enhance my commitment to community-based education initiatives and participatory research, ensuring that the voices of underserved communities are centered in advancing equitable cancer care and research.”

In partnership with Temple University’s Center for Health Justice and Urban Bioethics, Esdaille will complete a year of coursework on community engagement, critical social sciences and bioethics, followed by a community-based capstone project. Her work will focus on developing sustainable projects that expand access to urologic care and education, especially in populations that often face barriers to treatment.

Esdaille’s practice focuses on different forms of urologic cancer, including prostate, kidney and bladder cancers. Her true passion lies in prostate cancer with her research focused on disparities and community-driven programs like HEALCARE, a nutrition education initiative promoting cancer equity and prevention. Participation in this fellowship will provide Esdaille with the mentorship, resources and collaborative networks needed to expand HEALCARE and further advance her research at the intersection of nutrition, structural inequities and prostate cancer disparities.

“We are proud of Dr. Esdaille’s outstanding achievement and recognition of the impact her efforts bring to our patients and community,” said Martha K. Terris, MD, the Witherington Distinguished Chair in the Department of Urology at MCG.

The Urology Care Foundation is the world’s leading nonprofit urological health foundation, and the official foundation of the American Urological Association. Collaborating with physicians, researchers, patients and the public through philanthropic efforts, the foundation supports the improvement of urological care globally by funding research, clinical education, patient education and humanitarian programs.