The Global Fight Against Cancer

American Cancer Society Recognizes Accomplishments of Six Latin American Cancer Control Organizations

2009 ACS Latin American Best Practice Award (Premio Excelencia Latina) Winners, from left to right:  Ana Garces, Una Voz Contra el Cancer, Guatemala; German Piraquive Torres, SANAR, Colombia; Guadelupe del Valle, Una Voz Contra el Cancer, Guatemala; Emma Vera Espinoza, Grupo RETO, Mexico; Carmen Riveroll, Grupo RETO, Mexico; Olga Santamaria Fernandez, Liga Colombiana, Colombia; representative with SANAR, Colombia; Arlisa Lifshitz, AMLCC, Mexico; Eva Maria Ruiz de Castilla Yabar, Esperantra, Peru; representative with SANAR, Colombia; Nancy Ortiz, Colegio de Periodistas, Chile.

On November 20, the American Cancer Society held its third annual Latin American Best Practice Awards (Premios Excelencia Latina) ceremony in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. An initiative supported by an educational grant from Novartis, Premios Excelencia Latina recognizes regional best practices of Latin American cancer control organizations in different program categories. This year, winning programs from six organizations were selected from three categories: patient services, collaboration with health care professionals, and media/decision-maker engagement. The six award-winning organizations include Sanar from Colombia, Grupo Reto from Mexico, Una Voz contra el Cáncer from Guatemala, Asociación Mexicana de Lucha contra el Cáncer from Mexico, Esperantra from Peru, and Colegio de periodistas from Chile. The American Cancer Society will award a total of $67,500 in grants to the winning programs, as well as offer a customized fellowship with one of the Society’s Divisions in the United States. The awards ceremony was led by Alessandra Durstine, vice president of Regional Programs and director of Latin America for the American Cancer Society, and Angela Esteva, volunteer board member for the American Cancer Society South Atlantic Division. Colombian leaders in attendance included Senator Dillian Toro; Congress representatives Dr. Elías Raad and Dr. Jorge Morales; Dr. Lucio Rangel de Sosa, regional health director; and Dr. Carlos Vicente Rada, director general of the National Cancer Institute. The awards were also attended by members of Alianza Latina, a regional alliance of hematological cancers. The event received media coverage throughout Colombia and the surrounding region.

American Cancer Society Staff Serve as Judges in First Tobacco Control Journalism Contest in Guatemala

 
Volunteers with Una Voz contra el Cáncer (One Voice Against Cancer) join some of the award winners at the Guatemala tobacco control journalism contest.

The American Cancer Society recently evaluated the work of Guatemalan journalists as part of the first tobacco control journalism contest to be held in the country. American Cancer Society staff Thomas Glynn, PhD, director, Cancer Science and Trends and director, International Cancer Control, and Catherine Jo, manager, International Tobacco Control, served as judges for Guatemala Libre de Tabaco 2009 (Guatemala Tobacco Free 2009). The event was organized by Una Voz contra el Cáncer (One Voice Against Cancer), a Guatemalan cancer and tobacco control group and American Cancer Society grantee. About 40 journalists and members of civil society organizations were in attendance, including members of leading Guatemalan media outlets and representatives from the Pan American Health Organization and United Nations Population Fund. Three awards were given for excellence by Guatemalan journalists in the categories of TV, radio, and written media. The cancer control group organized this event to show the importance of the media in building public awareness of tobacco control and other health issues in Guatemala.
 

¡Inscríbase para el Premio Excelencia Latina de la Sociedad Americana del Cáncer! Apply for the 2009 American Cancer Society Latin America Best Practice Awards!

(The English version of this announcement appears below the Spanish version.)

El Premio Excelencia Latina de la Sociedad Americana del Cáncer destaca los programas con métodos innovadores, los cuales apoyan las necesidades de los pacientes de cáncer en Latinoamérica.

Este año, la Sociedad Americana del Cáncer está aceptando solicitudes de organizaciones latinoamericanas sin fines de lucro que brindan ayuda a los pacientes, mediante programas ejemplares en las siguientes áreas:
- Apoyo a pacientes y cuidadores: Programas que ofrecen cuidados de salud, apoyo práctico, al paciente y a cuidadores
- Trabajo con los medios de comunicación y/o tomadores de decisiones: Programas que se destinan a influir tomadores de decisiones o que trabajan con los medios de comunicación
- Colaboración con profesionales de la salud: Programas en los que los profesionales de la salud desempeñan un papel fundamental en el desarrollo o la ejecución del Programa.

Para cada categoría habrá un primer y un segundo premio. Los ganadores del primer premio recibirán:
• Una beca de dos años para continuar la implementación del programa innovador (USD$15,000 por categoría) con asistencia especializada de la Sociedad Americana del Cáncer.
• Una semana en los Estados Unidos para que dos líderes de cada organización ganadora para estudiar directamente con la Sociedad Americana del Cáncer en un área específica de trabajo.
• Un viaje a Cartagena para asistir a la ceremonia de premiación el 21 de Noviembre de 2009, como parte de la reunión de la Alianza Latina.

Ganadores del segundo premio recibirán:
• Una beca por dos años para continuar implementando el programa innovador (USD$7,500 por categoría) con asistencia técnica de la Sociedad Americana del Cáncer.
• Un viaje a Cartagena para asistir a la ceremonia de premiación el 21 de Noviembre de 2009 como parte de la reunión de la Alianza Latina.

Además, la Sociedad Americana del Cáncer está aceptando nominaciones para reconocer a un voluntario extraordinario (de Colombia únicamente), con el premio de "Voluntario/a del Año." El/la voluntario/a ganador/a será honrado/a en la ceremonia de premiación el 21 de noviembre de 2009 en Cartagena, Colombia. En esta ocasión, tendrá la oportunidad de compartir sus experiencias con otros profesionales de organizaciones sin fines de lucro de Latinoamérica.

Para obtener más información, por favor visite www.premioexcelencialatina.org. Llene el breve formulario sobre su organización y su programa innovador y envíelo antes del 1º  de septiembre de 2009, ¡para convertirse en un ganador del Premio Excelencia Latina 2009!

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The American Cancer Society’s Latin America Best Practice Awards highlight programs with innovative methods that support the needs of cancer patients in Latin America.

This year, the American Cancer Society is accepting applications from Latin American nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) with excellent patient programs in the following areas:
- Patient and Care Giver Support: Programs that provide health care or practical support to patients and their caregivers
- Media and Stakeholder Engagement: Programs that are intended to influence decisionmakers and work with the media
- Collaboration with Health Care Professionals: Programs in which health professionals play a key role in the development or implementation of the program.

For each category there will be a first and second prize. The first place winners will receive:
• A grant of USD$15,000, disbursed over two years, and technical assistance from the American Cancer Society to continue implementation of the innovative program.
• A week long fellowship at an American Cancer Society division office for two leaders from each winning organization.
• A trip to Cartagena to attend the awards ceremony at the 'Alianza Latina' meeting on November 21, 2009.

Second place winners will receive:
• A grant of USD$7,500, disbursed over two years, and technical assistance from the American Cancer Society to continue implementation of the innovative program.
• A trip to Cartagena to attend the awards ceremony at the 'Alianza Latina' meeting on November 21, 2009.

Additionally, the American Cancer Society is accepting nominations, from Colombia only, for an excellent volunteer to be recognized as “Volunteer of the Year!” The winning volunteer will be honored at the awards ceremony on November 21, 2009, in Cartagena, Colombia, and will have the opportunity to share his or hers experiences in the field with NGO professionals from across Latin America.

For more information, please visit www.premioexcelencialatina.org. Fill out the brief form about your organization and its innovative program and submit it by September 1, 2009, to become a winner of a 2009 American Cancer Society Latin America Best Practice Award!

Dr. Judith Mackay Receives BMJ Lifetime Achievement Award

 Dr. Judith L.  Mackay recipient of BMJ Lifetime Achievement Award

The American Cancer Society congratulates Dr. Judith L. Mackay for receiving the BMJ Lifetime Achievement award for her contribution to the fight against tobacco across the world. The BMJ Group Awards, held in association with The Health Foundation, recognize and celebrate excellence in health care around the globe. BMJ is an international peer reviewed medical journal. The ceremony, held in London, was attended by some of the world’s most influential leaders in health care. Dr. Mackay is co-author of the recently released third edition of The Tobacco Atlas, a critical resource produced by the American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation that graphically depicts the devastating impact tobacco has on an international level. Dr. Mackay serves as senior advisor to the World Lung Foundation and as senior policy advisor to the World Health Organization. She is also a recipient of the American Cancer Society's Luther Terry award for Outstanding Individual Leadership. As a leader in the battle to control tobacco, she was once described by the tobacco industry as "one of the three most dangerous people in the world."

American Cancer Society Hosts the 2009 Luther L. Terry Awards on Day Four of the 14th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health (WCTOH)

(This is a first-hand account of the Luther L. Terry Awards ceremony held on the evening of Day Four of the conference, March 11, from Tom Glynn, PhD, Director, Cancer Science and Trends and Director, International Cancer Control. Photos from the ceremony can be found below.)

The 2009 Luther L. Terry Awards for excellence in tobacco control were held this evening in Mumbai, on the last full evening of the 14th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health. This is the fourth time the triennial Luther L. Terry Awards have been given by the American Cancer Society, beginning with the 11th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health in Chicago in 2000. Tonight's awards ceremony was superbly produced by the American Cancer Society's Susan Herrington, national vice president, Strategic Governance and Corporate Affairs, and Judy Shope, strategic director, Constituent Management and Planning. In addition, Catherine Jo, manager, International Tobacco Control, and Carys Horgan, program assistant, Cancer Control Sciences and International Affairs, have done a terrific job of handling the selection process.

As with the previous ceremonies, this one was conducted in front of more than one thousand conference participants and the feeling in the hall was both exciting and wistful, as past achievements were honored and future plans applauded. As in the three previous iterations of the Luther L. Terry Awards, the honorees for tonight’s 2009 awards are exceptionally accomplished and recognized worldwide for their contributions to tobacco control. They are: 
• The United States’ Stanton Arnold Glantz, PhD: Recipient of the Distinguished Career Award.
• The Ministry of Health of the Government of Uruguay: Recipient of the Award for Exemplary Leadership by a Government Ministry.
• The United States’ Ronald M. Davis, MD, and India’s K. Srinath Reddy, MD, DM, MSc, FAMS: Recipients of the Award for Outstanding Individual Leadership.
• The InterAmerican Heart Foundation: Recipient of the Outstanding Organization Award.
• K. Michael Cummings, PhD, MPH, of the United States: Recipient of the Award for Outstanding Research Contribution.
• The United States’ Dileep G. Bal, MD, MPH, MS, and Thailand’s Hatai Chitanondh, MD, FICS, FRCS (T):  Recipients of the Award for Outstanding Community Service.
 
The ceremony was opened by John Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer, American Cancer Society, and introductory remarks were made by Douglas Bettcher, MD, MPH, director of the World Health Organization’s Tobacco Free Initiative. The awards were given by Terry Fontham, MPH, DrPH, president, American Cancer Society, and Van Wolf, chair, National Board of Directors, American Cancer Society. There were very few dry eyes in the hall when Dr. Sharon Milberger accepted Dr. Ron Davis' award posthumously. Dr. Davis passed away from pancreatic cancer only three days after being told of his Luther L. Terry Award. But Dr. Milberger reminded everyone that Dr. Davis lives on through his influence on a generation of tobacco control advocates.

A highlight of the award ceremony came when Maria Julia Muñoz, MD, the Health Minister of Uruguay, accepted the Award for Exemplary Leadership by a Government Ministry and commented on the astounding progress in tobacco control – and its attendant disease and death – that has been made in her country, in Latin America, and throughout the world.

It was particularly moving to see Luther L. Terry’s family represented at the ceremony by his son Michael, Michael’s wife Joan, his grandson Luther Terry, and granddaughters Agnes Terry and Paige Kollock. Following the ceremony, a celebratory dinner was held.

 

Dr. K. Srinath Reddy from India (second from left) receiving his award from American Cancer Society leaders.

 

Maria Julia Muñoz, MD, the Health Minister of Uruguay, speaking at the Luther L. Terry Awards.

 

Representatives of the Luther L. Terry family

American Cancer Society’s 2009 Luther L. Terry Award Recipients Announced

On December 12, the American Cancer Society announced the 2009 Luther L. Terry Award recipients, recognizing leading tobacco control advocates and experts who have shown exemplary achievement and leadership in the field of tobacco control. The American Cancer Society presents the Luther L. Terry Awards triennially and in conjunction with the World Conference on Tobacco OR Health to commemorate the work of the late United States Surgeon General, Luther L. Terry, MD. Dr. Terry led the 1964 Surgeon General’s report which connected tobacco use to lung cancer and other illnesses, and the awards honor those who carry on Dr. Terry’s legacy. The 2009 awards will be presented in March during a special ceremony at the 14th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health in Mumbai, India.
Recipients of the 2009 Luther L. Terry Awards are as follows:
• Recipient of the Distinguished Career Award: Stanton Arnold Glantz, PhD, United States
• Recipient of the Exemplary Leadership by a Government Ministry Award: The Ministry of Health of the Government of Uruguay
• Recipients of the Outstanding Individual Leadership Award: Ronald M. Davis, MD, United States; and K. Srinath Reddy, MD, DM, MSc, FAMS, India
• Recipient of the Outstanding Organization Award: The InterAmerican Heart Foundation
• Recipient of the Outstanding Research Contribution Award: K. Michael Cummings, PhD, MPH, United States
• Recipient of the Outstanding Community Service Award: Dileep G. Bal, MD, MPH, MS, United States; and Hatai Chitanondh, MD, FICS, FRCS (T), Thailand

American Cancer Society Honors Excellence in Patient Care at Second Annual Latin American Best Practice Awards

 

From left to right: Orlando Martinez Granera; Asociación para la Salud Comunitaria, Nicaragua, First Prize for Patient Services; Guadalupe Alejandre, Asociación Mexicana de Ayuda a Niños con Cáncer (AMANC), Mexico, Volunteer of the Year; Patricio Gonzalez, Asociación Mexicana de Leucemia y Gist, Mexico, Second Prize for Emotional Support

On November 21, the American Cancer Society held its second annual Latin American Best Practice Awards (“Premio Excelencia Latina”) ceremony in Mexico City, Mexico, honoring representatives of Latin American cancer control nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) who demonstrated excellence in patient care this year. The ceremony was led by Elmer E. Huerta, MD, MPH, former president of the American Cancer Society, and Alessandra Durstine, vice president of regional strategies and director of Latin American programs for the American Cancer Society. The six award winners, from Argentina, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Nicaragua, were chosen from about 100 nominations through an American Cancer Society peer review process. In addition to bestowing these awards, the American Cancer Society will provide future support for the programs conducted by the award winners. The awards ceremony was covered by several Mexican media organizations.

Third Annual Global Smokefree Partnership Awards Recognize Leadership and Excellence in Smoke-free Policies

Recipients of GSP Awards:  Dr. Reina Roa (left), representing the Ministry of Health in Panama, and Dr. Sonia Meza (right), representing the Interamerican Heart Foundation Mexico

On October 29, the Global Smokefree Partnership (GSP) celebrated its third annual awards ceremony at the First Asian Regional Conference of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in Bangkok, Thailand. The GSP, an alliance of public health groups coordinated by the American Cancer Society and the Framework Convention Alliance, presented the GSP Awards for Leadership and Excellence in Smoke-free Policies at this event. Four awards were presented this year:
- Dr. Reina Roa accepted the GSP Award to a Governmental Body on behalf of the Ministry of Health in Panama for leadership and commitment to further smoke-free policies by a governmental agency.
- Dr. Sonia Meza accepted the GSP Award to Civil Society and Campaigners on behalf of the Interamerican Heart Foundation Mexico for outstanding and sustained action to promote smoke-free policies.
- Hemant Goswami received a GSP Extraordinary Award for exceptional and outstanding commitment by a dedicated smoke-free and tobacco control activist to promote the implementation of the guidelines on Article 8 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
- Dr. Prat Boonyawongvirot, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health of the Kingdom of Thailand, accepted a GSP Extraordinary Award on behalf of the Ministry of Public Health for an exceptional example of how governments effectively implement the guidelines for Article 8 of the FCTC. Dr. Boonyawongvirot accepted the award at a press conference held at the conference venue.

Film Produced by American Cancer Society Fellow Wins Award at UICC Conference Film Festival

 
Sutapa Biswas

A film produced by Sutapa Biswas, an American Cancer Society fellow and American Cancer Society University alumna, won the Best Personal Story Award at the recent Reel Lives Film Festival, held during the UICC World Cancer Congress in Geneva, Switzerland. Biswas is the executive director of the Cancer Foundation of India. Her film, titled The Art of Living, was one of 264 film entries from around the world. Of those, 33 films representing 16 countries were selected for screening and final judging. Presented in Hindi with English subtitles, The Art of Living tells the story of Sambhu Das, a painter who was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx in 1998. Despite financial and physical limitations, he never was swayed from his goal of becoming a successful painter. Through the story of a person with cancer, the film celebrates the inner strength of a common man. To view a clip of the award-wining film and other award winners from the festival, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CULHia8acAg.

American Cancer Society CEO Receives Prestigious Award and Delivers Keynote Address at Tobacco Control Conference in Warsaw, Poland

Cardinal Jozef Glemp, Primate of Poland (left), presents the Golden Honorary Award to John R. Seffrin, PhD, national chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society (right)

On April 22, John R. Seffrin, PhD, national chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society, received the Golden Honorary Award of the Health Promotion Foundation from Cardinal Jozef Glemp, Primate of Poland, in a ceremony at the cardinal’s official residence in Warsaw, Poland. The award is presented to individuals who have made a significant impact on public health and quality of life in Poland. On the same day, Dr. Seffrin delivered the keynote address in Warsaw to the Summit of Tobacco Control Leaders from Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union Countries. More than 100 researchers, oncologists, and government leaders from more than 20 countries gathered at the summit to review successes and failures from the past two decades of tobacco control efforts in this part of the world, and to plan for the future of tobacco control. Dr. Seffrin, who has been especially active in the fight against tobacco for the last quarter century, delivered a presentation covering present and future scenarios in the global fight against tobacco. Thomas J. Glynn, PhD, and Hana Ross, PhD, also represented the American Cancer Society at the summit.