Dr. Yasmin Bhurgri passed away on January 24, 2012. It has not only been a personal loss for those who have known her as a friend or a family member, it has also been a great loss for the country of Pakistan. Dr. Yasmin, a pathologist by profession, pioneered the concept of cancer registration in Pakistan. Apart from working as a pathologist and an instructor in pathology, she also set up the first population-based cancer registry in Pakistan. It was Dr. Bhurgri’s strong belief that cancer control and early detection programs can only be developed if population-based cancer registration is treated as a priority in the region. Her determination led her to work relentlessly toward establishing a cancer registry for the district of Karachi South. Dr. Yasmin was the director of the registry from 1995 until her death last month. So far, this is the only population-based cancer registry functioning in the country. The registry is recognized by the international scientific community for its high standards and quality control measures. Let’s hope that Dr. Bhurgri’s work is carried forward and more registries are established in the region, for the benefit of the community at large. However, Dr. Yasmin’s absence will always be felt in the times to come.