Nathan Grey (standing on right), national vice president, International Affairs Department, American Cancer Society, addresses the NGO training participants.
The American Cancer Society hosted its third training for the Latin America Regional Health Grants Program June 14-19 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The three-year program aims to improve cancer control in the region through early detection. Twenty-eight representatives from 14 of the leading cancer control nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) participated in the training, funded by Pfizer, Inc., and the Pfizer Foundation, which focused on “Integrated Communications: Internal Management, Media Relations, and Expanding Impact.” The curriculum for the training was presented by a faculty consisting partly of cancer control experts outside the American Cancer Society, including Dan Rutz, team lead, Global Health Communication, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Adrian Huñis, MD, director and chief of oncology, Center of Oncology in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Rita Dardes, medical director, Avon Institute; and Chris Cardona and Jared Raynor, consultants for the TCC group. Robert Simpson, director, Latin America, Worldwide Public Affairs and Policy for Pfizer, presented and highlighted Pfizer's continued efforts to support patient programs throughout Latin America. American Cancer Society faculty included Nathan Grey, national vice president, International Affairs Department; Claudia Rodas, regional director of Government Operations – Gulf Coast; Alessandra Durstine, vice president, Regional Strategies, and director, Latin American Programs; and Cristina Parsons Perez, manager, Latin American Cancer Initiatives. The NGO representatives also visited the National Cancer Institute of Brazil and were welcomed by the director general, Luiz Antonio Santini Rodrigues da Silva. The fourth and final training of the Latin America Regional Health Grants Program will focus on advocacy and will take place in 2010 in Washington, D.C.
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