The Global Fight Against Cancer

Florida Division Hosts Two Latin American Fellows for Training and Advocacy Day Activities

 

Gayle Harrell Florida representative, with Ludmila Calvo president of SenoSalud and Maria Ines Marchegiani de Ucke president of the Argentinean League Against Cancer

As part of the international fellowship program, the Florida Division hosted two fellows from South America to participate in the Division’s Advocacy Day and learn about statewide mission delivery and cancer control programs. Maria Ines Marchegiani de Ucke, president of the Argentinean League Against Cancer (La Liga Argentina de Lucha Contra el Cáncer - LALCEC); and Ludmila Calvo, president of SenoSalud, a breast cancer organization in Venezuela, joined Division volunteers throughout the week of February 19 to gain insight to further cancer-fighting goals and program development within their own organizations. During the Division’s Advocacy Day, the fellows met with Florida Representatives Ellyn Bogdanoff and Gayle Harrell. This fellowship launches a series of international programs to build cancer control resources in South Americaand help establish community-based programs to reduce cancer disparities. In May 2007, the Florida Division will convene its volunteer and staff experts to conduct a tailored American Cancer Society University (ACSU) for Latin American health care professionals and representatives from patient advocacy organizations. This will be the first ACSU in Floridaand will be conducted in Spanish with Spanish-language training materials provided.

Japan Hosts Second American Cancer Society University in Tokyo

February 22-24 marked a reunion meeting of ACSU Tokyo 2006 alumni. Seventeen participants representing 12 alumni organizations returned to Tokyo to review activities since last June and plans for future work. Alumni highlighted ACSU principles such as survivorship, governance, and needs assessment as influential to their planning following the inaugural event, including grant projects scheduled for this year. Following lectures from local donors and fundraising experts, scholars revisited draft applications. Proposals were revised further in one-on-one meetings with local event advisors. Outside scheduled activities, scholars met and drafted a concept paper for a group proposal. At the end of the program, alumni developed preliminary objectives for this collaborative project in an afternoon session. ACSU alumni look forward to continuing communication, exchanging of good practices, and pursuing joint programs.

Florida Volunteer Dr. Shahla Masood Organizes International Breast Health Symposium

Drs. Laszlo Tabar and Shahla Masood at the 12th Annual Multidisciplinary Symposium on Breast Disease held on Amelia Island, Florida

Florida Division Volunteer Dr. Shahla Masood organized the 12th Annual Multidisciplinary Symposium on Breast Disease held February 15-18 in Jacksonville, Florida. On February 15, more than 500 Jacksonville residents attended a public forum to discuss breast cancer issues with international experts on breast cancer screening, treatment, and restoration. A three-day professional symposium attended by 400 breast health specialists followed the public forum. The annual public forum and symposium are organized by Florida Division's Shahla Masood, MD.  Dr. Masood is chief pathologist at Jacksonville's Shands Hospital, founder and editor-in-chief of the medical journal Breast, and steering committee member for the Breast Health Global Initiative. Other eminent international breast health experts speaking at the conference included Drs. Laszlo Tabar of Sweden, Sylvia Heywang-Kobrunner of Germany, and Harry Bartelink of the Netherlands. Among women worldwide, breast cancer has, by far, the highest incidence and prevalence of all cancers. More than one million women develop breast cancer every year.

Midwest Division Helps Launch New Patient Navigation Curriculum at American Cancer Society University in Mexico City

On February 14, the American Cancer Society, in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia (INCAN), and the nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) Asociación Mexicana de Lucha Contra El Cancer and Fundacion Cima, started a weeklong American Cancer Society University (ACSU) in Mexico City, Mexico. This ACSU is the second one to be held in Mexico City, and marks the launch of a newly developed Patient Navigation System curriculum developed with input from staff and volunteers from the Society's Midwest Division. Dr. Marlene Palkovich, a Midwest Division Board Member, and Midwest Division volunteer Dr. Carolina Gonzalez-Schlenker led a series of NGO management modules and new courses that focus on the building blocks of a Patient Navigator Program. Approximately 32 representatives from more than 12 cancer-control NGOs in Mexico convened to join interactive sessions facilitated by Mexican and Society health care experts. Dr. Alejandro Mohar, Director General of INCAN and Elmer Huerta, MD, MPH, president-elect of the Society, also participated in this ACSU. Following this training, INCAN will work with its NGO partners to develop the infrastructure outline for the first Patient Navigation program in Mexico.

Illinois Division Participates in V-Care Cancer Survivors Day in Mumbai, India

   

American Cancer Society Illinois Division volunteer Malcolm Bilimoria, MD, served as an ambassador to Mumbai, India, to attend the annual Cancer Survivors Day and collaborate with Vandana Gupta, founder of V-Care, a support group for cancer patients and caregivers. V-Care sponsored the event, which was started by Ms. Gupta following her five-month fellowship at the Illinois Division in 2006. During this weeklong trip, Dr. Bilimoria met with V-Care staff and cancer hospital and research center staff members in Mumbai to share best practices and promote India’s clinical cancer programs. Dr. Bilimoria participated in activities celebrating survivorship and raising awareness of cancer in India. The Society’s Illinois Division is working with Ms.Gupta, who is also an American Cancer Society University graduate, to support the development of a patient tracking system and a community resource database that would enhance V-Care’s 24-hour telephone hotline. This project highlights the Illinois Division’s significant, continuing commitment to support the Society’s India Cancer Initiative.

Great Lakes Division Sponsors Jerusalem Fellow at Annual Oncology Nursing Society Conference

Ruth Hong, Amal Khleif, and Maxine Tatlonghari

The Great Lakes Division sponsored Amal I. Khleif, RN, BSN, head nurse of the Oncology and Chemotherapy Unit at Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem, to attend the Ninth Annual Oncology Nursing Society Conference in Hollywood, California. Ms. Khleif discussed nursing oncology issues with both American and international researchers, clinical trial nurses, and advanced practice nurses. She was especially interested in current chemotherapeutic and palliative care methods - the most critical areas for her practice. During her visit to Los Angeles, Ms. Khleif also had an opportunity to discuss quality of life improvements for cancer patients in the Middle East with Ruth Hong, Director of Health Promotions for the California Division, and Maxine Tatlonghari, Director of Global Resources for the California Division.

Peru TV Station Films Profile of American Cancer Society and Dr. Elmer Huerta

On February 6, 2007, América TV, a major television network in Peru, visited the National Home Office in Atlanta to tape interviews and film footage for a special profile on the American Cancer Society and native Peruvian Elmer Huerta, MD, who will become the Society’s first Hispanic national volunteer president in October 2007. The profile will air in the next few months on América TV's "América Noticias" – Peru’s top newscast. Anchor Mávila Huertas interviewed Dr. Huerta; John Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the Society; and Ermilo "Milo" Barrera, Jr. MD, a member of the Society’s national Board of Directors. Dr. Huerta reported on the Society’s mission both domestically and internationally (including in Peru, where the Society has collaborated with the Ministry of Health and others to create the Peru’s first national cancer plan). Drs. Huerta and Barrera were in Atlanta for the Society’s National Board of Directors meeting. América TV also accompanied Dr. Huerta earlier in the week to the Cancer Preventorium at the Washington Cancer Institute in Washington, DC, which Dr. Huerta founded and where he serves as director.

Mid-South Conducts African Relay For Life® Leadership Training and Attends Relay in Oudtschoorn, South Africa

Three hundred participants rallied at the Oudtschoorn Relay event and stayed active with exercises including spinning (above).

Joe Cahoon, Mid-South Division chief executive officer, and Ryan Palmer, vice president of Constituent Services for the Mid-South Division, conducted a Relay For Life senior strategy training for leaders of the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) regional offices.  During the February 2 briefing in Oudtschoorn, South Africa, the group focused on best practices in Relay leadership recruitment, activities, mission integration, corporate strategies, and discussed lessons learned during Relay’s 20-year history. Gina Myracle, a Mid-South volunteer and Division board member, conducted an intensive training for CANSA Relay volunteers who are gearing up for a significant program expansion this year. After the trainings, the group attended South Africa’s second Relay event on February 3 at the De Jager Sports Complex, a municipal facility in Oudtschoorn. Twenty-two teams, 50 survivors, and approximately 300 participants rallied around the field during the night, staying active with family activities such as hourly exercise classes and cooking contests.

Report Released for World Cancer Day Calls for Global Action Against Rising Cancer Rates in Low-and Middle-Income Nations

While cancer deaths in the United States have decreased for the second consecutive year, cancer is rapidly increasing worldwide and low-to-middle income countries are bearing the brunt of the burden. Low- and middle-income countries, where more than 80 percent of the world’s population resides, bear 72 percent of the world’s cancer deaths, according to a new Institute of Medicine report released in advance of World Cancer Day (February 4) entitled Cancer Control in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Four million annual cancer deaths occur in these nations — one million more than deaths from AIDS. Tragically, 70 percent to 80 percent of these cancer patients are incurable at the time of diagnosis. The 326-page study, sponsored by American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute, examines the factors contributing to this cancer increase and recommends proven prevention, detection, treatment strategies, and most importantly, a commitment by the global health community to put cancer on the global agenda, which could significantly influence priorities and resource allocations for these nations.