The Global Fight Against Cancer

Society Works to Implement HPV Vaccination in the Americas

Dr. Merle Lewis, New Vaccine Research Advisor for PAHO's Immunization Unit, and Dr. Omar Shafey, ACS Director of International Programs and Research.

As part of the Society’s commitment to global implementation of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine against cervical cancer, Society staff participated in the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Technical Advisory Group meeting on Vaccine-Preventable Diseases held in Guatemala City July 24-27. Participants from nearly every country in the Western Hemisphere met to discuss strategies for achieving the high potential of this new vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, the developing world’s leading cause of cancer death among women. About 510,000 cases of cervical cancer are reported and more than 288,000 women every year are killed by the disease. The highest cervical cancer incidence rates are found in the least developed countries: Haiti, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Belize have the highest cervical cancer incidence rates in the Americas. Due to lack of available cervical cancer screening programs, women in Latin America and the Caribbean suffer from some of the highest cervical cancer mortality rates in the world. The HPV vaccine promises to reduce and eventually eradicate cervical cancer as a major health problem. Effective global implementation of HPV vaccination programs poses a major public health challenge that will require long-term collaboration and coordination between governments, non-governmental organizations, vaccine manufacturers, insurance companies, and religious and civic organizations.

New England Division Hosts Vietnamese International Fellows

New England Staff Welcomes Three International Fellows from Vietnam

The New England Division is providing support for the American Cancer Society’s international program and the global fight against cancer through its International Fellowship Program, which connects cancer control specialists in developing nations with the Society’s own network of cancer control experts. Administered by Randy Schwartz, senior vice president for Cancer Control, the International Fellows program is hosting three tobacco control specialists from Vietnam. Kinh Hoang Van, MS; Pham Thi Hoang Anh, MD, MS; and Ngo Le Thu, MD, MPH, met with Division staff in Framingham for an orientation session and have visited Dr. James Prochaska at the University of Rhode Island. The weeklong fellowship includes meetings with legislators at the Massachusetts State House, tobacco control staff at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and faculty and staff at the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention.

India Minister of Health Takes Bold Stance on Tobacco Control, Proposes 400% Increase in Cancer Funding

Anna Johnson-Winegar, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Rich Wender, Shalini Vallabhan

Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, the India Minister of Health and Family Welfare, arrived at the World Conference on Tobacco OR Health armed with bold proposals to back his progressive stance on tobacco and cancer control in India. Dr. Ramadoss, a recipient of the Society’s prestigious Luther L. Terry tobacco control award, has enacted sweeping tobacco control measures across India. These include banning smoking in public places, banning tobacco advertising, banning tobacco sales to minors, and displaying health warnings as well as tar and nicotine content on tobacco products. The Society has worked closely with tobacco control advocates in India, including American Cancer Society University (ACSU) graduate Dr. Surendra Shastri, who used his ACSU training to launch the Advocacy Forum on Tobacco Control (AFTC). Dr. Ramadoss has introduced a proposal in India to require film producers who wish to allow smoking in movies to justify the need to include smoking and to mandate public health messages from actors who smoke in the movies. During the World Conference, Dr. Ramadoss also met with Society international staff to further plans for cancer control programs. In India, Dr. Ramadoss is proposing a 400% budget increase for the nation’s cancer control efforts.

Society Presents 2006 Luther L. Terry Award During 13th World Tobacco Control Conference

Bungon Ritthiphakdee of Thailand Receives Outstanding Individual Leadership Award for Tobacco Control Efforts

During the 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health, the Society presented the 2006 Luther L. Terry Awards, created to honor exemplary individual and organizational achievements in tobacco control throughout the world. Winners in this third award presentation, named after legendary US Surgeon General Luther Terry, included Margaretha Haglund of Sweden and Witold Zatonski, MD, ScD, of Poland for the Distinguished Career Award. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and the Department of Health and Children, Republic of Ireland, were recognized for Exemplary Leadership by a Government Ministry. The Outstanding Individual Leadership award went to Luk Joosens of Belgium and Bungon Ritthiphakdee of Thailand. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in the United States and Framework Convention Alliance of Switzerland won Outstanding Organization awards. The Outstanding Research Contribution award went to Sir Richard Peto, FRS, of the United Kingdom.

Global Journalists Attend World Cancer and Tobacco Conferences Through Society Fellowship

As part of a fellowship grant from the American Cancer Society, the European School of Oncology (ESO), and the UICC, seven print and broadcast journalists from countries with limited resources are attending the joint conferences to learn about cancer and tobacco control issues. The journalists, from Bolivia, Bulgaria, Egypt, Ghana, Hungary, the Philippines, and Uganda, are attending sessions, press conferences, key events, and meeting speakers and attendees throughout the day. They also participated in the Framework Convention Alliance investigative journalist program led by investigative journalist Duncan Campbell, based in the United Kingdom. The journalists have covered many events and interviewed conference speakers and attendees. During the International Relay For Life demonstration Monday evening, journalists viewed firsthand the global impact of a unique fundraising and awareness event that provides hope and inspiration to survivors, caregivers, and communities.

International Affairs Honors Outstanding Global Cancer and Tobacco Control Advocates

On Tuesday, July 11, the International Affairs department honored outstanding achievers in global cancer and tobacco control in its 2nd annual International Achievement Awards ceremony.  Award recipients were selected from the Society’s American Cancer Society University (ACSU) program, International Tobacco Control, the International Partnership Program, and this year a category was added to recognize the invaluable contribution of program donors who provide funding. The award recipient for the ACSU program was Dr. Surendra Shastri, of the Tata Memorial Hospital in India. The awardees for the International Partnership Program were Carol El-Jabari of the Patient Friend’s Society in Jerusalem, Atif Al-Rimawi of the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem, and the American Cancer Society’s Great Lakes Division. In International Tobacco Control, the award winner was Dr. Eduardo Bianco, a Uruguay tobacco control advocate. This year a new category for Philanthropy recognized the Pfizer Foundation for it’s generous donations to the Society international programs including ACSU, Relay For Life, and International Partners program.

California Division Volunteer Stephanie Lane and Eight International Grantees Honored During World Cancer Congress

During a luncheon held at the UICC World Cancer Congress in Washington DC, the Society honored California Division long-time donor Stephanie H. Lane and the eight international grantees she funded for cancer and tobacco control projects in Armenia, Bangladesh, China, Guatemala, India, Mexico, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. The event was hosted by Califorinia CEO David Veneziano, and attendees heard grant recipients give reports on their community-based cancer control projects which began through the ACSU and will continue as a result of the generosity of Mrs. Lane. The projects will serve as models for future Division-funded and -administered projects. Mrs. Lane also provided a grant to fund the attendance of scholars from these eight counties to the 2006 International Union Against Cancer World Conference and the 13^th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health in Washington, D.C.

American Cancer Society Debuts International Relay For Life ® to World Cancer Congress Attendees

US Relay Volunteer Shares Relay Experiences with Hungarian Journalist

Attendees at the UICC World Cancer Congress 2006 had the opportunity to experience the Society/s signature event, Relay For Life - now held in 24 countries. The two-and-a-half-hour demonstration brought together people from around the globe to celebrate cancer survivors and caregivers, to meet International Relay for Life staff and volunteers, and to “Relay” with teams. The event included cancer survivors and Relay teams walking and an emotional “luminaria” ceremony where hundreds of luminaria bags were lit to commemorate survivors and loved ones lost to cancer.  Society Volunteer Cherilyn Pollard coordinated the successful demonstration along with Relay volunteers from across the United States. The program included entertainment and international food, along with regional tents demonstrating local Relay event videos, T-shirts, and materials.

Eighty-five Fellows Attend American Cancer Society University Prior to World Cancer and Tobacco Control Conferences

 

American Cancer Society University Chinese fellows

Before the start of the 2006 World Cancer Congress and World Conference on Tobacco OR Health, and the American Cancer Society and the UICC sponsored a special training event for cancer control professionals across the globe. The training was based on the American Cancer Society University (ACSU), a culturally tailored training program for cancer organizations across the globe to build capacity and resources to fight cancer in their communities. Before this year’s conference, on July 5-8, 85 fellows from 31 low and middle-income countries attended this tailored ACSU training. Fellows represented the following countries: Armenia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Federated States of Micronesia, Georgia, Guatemala, El Salvador, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Macedonia, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, Zambia and Zimbabwe. These fellows were sponsored by the UICC, the Society and its 13 nationwide Divisions, the Pfizer Foundation, and a grant from Stephanie H. Lane, a long-term donor to the Society who resides in California. The faculty for this four-day training session included ACSU alumni from around the world, and top volunteers and staff leaders of the Society.