The Global Fight Against Cancer

American Cancer Society Holds Cancer Control Training in Bangkok, Thailand

Cancer training participants and faculty members on a site visit to a community radio station in Thailand's Angthong province. The radio station regularly broadcasts cancer awareness information provided by an American Cancer Society subgrantee.

The American Cancer Society convened 32 representatives from 15 Asian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) for the 3rd American Cancer Society Asia Regional Cancer Control Program Training November 22-25 in Bangkok, Thailand. This training was generously supported by the Pfizer USA Foundation with matching funds from local Pfizer offices in the region. The purpose of the training, co-hosted by the Chulabhorn Cancer Center (CCC), was to share best practices in organizational, strategic, and program planning, and in resource mobilization. Speakers and training participants shared ideas and information about cancer and tobacco control in Southeast Asia, organizational strategic planning, and volunteerism and fundraising. Training faculty members included Iris Pendergast, senior manager, International Relay For Life®, American Cancer Society; Loyce Pace, director of Regional Programs, Global Health, American Cancer Society; James Bradley of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and Dr. Saunthari Somasundaram, executive director and honorary general secretary of the National Cancer Society Malaysia. Guest speakers included Dr. Charas Suwannawella, vice president, Chulabhorn Cancer Center; Dr. Thiravud Khuhaprema, director, Thailand National Cancer Institute; the Honorable Eric John, US Ambassador to Thailand; and Dr. Kwanchanit Tantivejkul, an American Cancer Society consultant. Azwar Kamarudin, senior manager, Public Affairs, Pfizer Malaysia, gave a presentation on corporate partnerships, and representatives of Pfizer Thailand Foundation and Pfizer Asia Pacific were also in attendance. The training was featured in Thai and English language stories from several local radio, television, and newspaper organizations.

International Cancer Conference in Italy Features American Cancer Society Presentations

From left to right:  Dr. Luiz Santini, Brazil's National Cancer Institute (INCA); Jon Kerner, Canadian Partnership against Cancer; Abel Limache Garcia, Peru's National Cancer Institute (INEN); Cristina Parsons Perez, American Cancer Society; Eva Maria Ruiz de Castilla, NGO Esperantra.

At the 3rd International Cancer Control Congress held November 8-11 in Como, Italy, American Cancer Society staff delivered presentations on cancer planning, employer engagement, and tobacco control in Africa. More than 400 cancer control leaders from Europe, North and South America, Africa, and Asia addressed critical issues in planning and implementing a comprehensive approach to cancer control. In addition to keynote presentations by Ala Alwan, MD, of the World Health Organization (WHO) and others, there were workshops on all aspects of cancer planning and control in low-, middle-, and high-resource settings. Cristina Parsons Perez, PhD, manager, Latin America Initiatives, American Cancer Society, served on a panel about cancer planning with the head of the Brazilian National Cancer Institute. Johanna Ralston, vice president, Global Strategies, American Cancer Society, gave two presentations at sessions organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency on tobacco and cancer control in Africa and working with employers and the public sector on public-private partnerships. The abstracts of American Cancer Society staff presentations were selected for publication in the Congress monograph in the journal Tumori, a journal about experimental and clinical oncology.

Media and NGOs Dialogue at American Cancer Society Workshops in Tanzania; ACS Chief Medical Officer Joins Key Global Health Leaders to Open AORTIC Conference

The American Cancer Society’s pre-conference workshops in Tanzania concluded earlier today with a lively discussion between African journalists and nongovernmental organization (NGO) representatives on barriers to cancer coverage and potential solutions in Africa. In the course of the discussion, the 24 journalists and 34 NGO representatives identified particular cancer myths that contribute to the barriers in cancer awareness in Africa. They also proposed solutions to debunking these myths, including strengthening relationships between journalists and NGOs so that journalists have access to credible and accurate information, and humanizing stories on cancer and destigmatizing the disease by profiling survivors. The discussion was followed by a graduation lunch for all workshop participants, where they were joined by Jean-Baptiste Tapko, MD, the World Health Organization’s country representative for Tanzania. The pre-conference workshops have been generously supported by Oracle, the Canadian Cancer Society, and AORTIC.

Later in the day, American Cancer Society staff and volunteers joined with hundreds of cancer and tobacco control partners from around the world at the opening ceremony of AORTIC Conference 2009. The conference, which runs through November 14, will give participants the opportunity to share ideas and best practices on all aspects of cancer care and management in Africa, from prevention and diagnoses to treatment and palliation. American Cancer Society Chief Medical Officer Otis Brawley, MD, served on a panel during the ceremony with other distinguished guests, including David Mwakyusa, MD, minister for Health and Social Welfare of Tanzania. At the conclusion of the opening ceremony, Brawley was given a special gift in recognition of the American Cancer Society’s role as a key partner in cancer control in Africa. 

New American Cancer Society-sponsored Cancer and Tobacco Control Channel Launched on South African Health Web Site

A new cancer and tobacco channel sponsored by the American Cancer Society has been launched on the Health-e Web site, an award-winning South African health news Web site. The Web site channel, located at http://health-e.org.za/cancer, currently has stories on The Tobacco Atlas, Third Edition, co-published by the American Cancer Society and the World Lung Foundation; an interview with John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer, American Cancer Society; and the launch of Campaign 4 Cancer by an American Cancer Society grantee. The Web site channel editor is Anso Thom, a former CNN African Journalist of the Year and recipient of the Kaiser Family Foundation award for best reporting in Africa on HIV/AIDS. Anso was a journalist scholar last year at the American Cancer Society Media Summit in South Africa. She is an American Cancer Society journalist fellow at the Society’s Media Summit taking place now in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and will be reporting this week from the 2009 African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) Conference in the same location. Health-e stories on cancer and tobacco control from the Tanzania conference will appear on the Web site, in leading South African newspapers, and on leading South African radio stations.

American Cancer Society To Host Pre-Conference Workshops at AORTIC Conference 2009 in Tanzania; New ACS Blog Set Up for Tanzania Activities

 

 
  
The American Cancer Society is participating in AORTIC Conference 2009, being held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from November 11-14. The African Organisation for Research & Training in Cancer (AORTIC) has organized this conference for cancer control advocates from around the world to address the African cancer burden.

In addition to its participation in the conference, the American Cancer Society will be hosting two pre-conference workshops in Dar es Salaam. One is an training event organized for representatives of African nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) as part of the American Cancer Society Africa Cancer Information (ACI) program. The ACI event, taking place from Nov. 8-11, will allow these NGOs to learn about NGO management practices and cancer control activities. The other event is an ACS Media Summit for journalists representing print, radio, and TV media organizations thoughout Africa. Journalists will learn about best practices in health reporting, especially as they relate to creating greater awareness of cancer and tobacco control in the public. This Media Summit, taking place from Nov. 9-11, has been made possible with the generous support of Oracle, the Canadian Cancer Society, and AORTIC.

The American Cancer Society has set up a new blog at http://cancer.blogs.com/acsaortic to post materials and updates related to both pre-conference workshops and the AORTIC Conference. Materials include press releases, speaker biographies, fact sheets, and more. You can use the links in "Catgories" in the left column of the blog to find materials related to each subject. Also, check the "Quick Links" and "Twitter Updates" section in the right column to find useful information and resources on cancer and tobacco control in Africa and around the world.

American Cancer Society Sponsors, Holds Workshop at 2009 US-Africa Business Summit

 
Participants in the American Cancer Society panel discussion on cancer and other noncommunicable diseases.  From left to right:  Haskell Ward, SEACOMM; Tom Glynn, PhD, American Cancer Society; Lisa A. Newman, MD, MPH, FACS, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center; Mo Mayrides, PhRMA International Development Alliance; Michelle DeMoor, Philips Health Care. (Not pictured: Funmi Olopade, MD, FACP, University of Chicago)

 
United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses the summit participants.

The American Cancer Society is proud to have sponsored a panel discussion at the 2009 US-Africa Business Summit, which was held September 29-October 1 in Washington, D.C. This biennial event, which was organized by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), brought together more than 1,500 leaders from the public and private sectors to explore business and investment opportunities in Africa. US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered a speech at the summit in which she underscored the Obama administration’s commitment to Africa and its vision of the region representing the global economic engine of the 21st century. On development issues including health, she emphasized long-term solutions, metrics, and integration with diplomatic efforts. The American Cancer Society hosted one of several health-related workshops at the summit. The workshop, titled The Changing Health Landscape in Africa and the Private Sector Response: Non-Communicable Diseases, Cancer and Chronic Conditions, brought together a panel of five leading global health experts from the public and private sectors. It was moderated by Thomas Glynn, PhD, director, Cancer Science and Trends and director, International Cancer Control, American Cancer Society. The panel of experts included Michelle DeMoor, senior director, International Policy and Government Relations, Philips Health Care; Lisa A. Newman, MD, MPH, FACS, director, Breast Care Center, and professor of surgery, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center; Mo Mayrides, director, PhRMA International Alliance Development; Funmi Olopade, MD, FACP, Walter L. Palmer distinguished service professor of Medicine and Human Genetics, University of Chicago; and Haskell Ward, senior vice president, Government Relations, SEACOM. They discussed Africa’s changing disease profile and the unique role the private sector can play in controlling the rising burden of cancer and other noncommunicable diseases on the continent.

Watch Video Podcast of American Cancer Society CEO Interview with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN's 'House Call'

Dr. Sanjay Gupta (center) interviews American Cancer Society CEO Dr. John Seffrin (right) on CNN program 'House Call.'

Last weekend, on the CNN program 'House Call,' Dr. Sanjay Gupta reported from Dublin, Ireland, from the first-ever LiveStrong Global Cancer Summit. He interviewed American Cancer Society CEO Dr. John Seffrin, asking Dr. Seffrin about the passing of U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, reports on Senator Kennedy’s courageous battle against brain cancer, and his example as an “empowered patient.”

You can view the full interview by clicking on this link: http://bit.ly/PEMOh  Look for the interview starting about 10 minutes, 10 seconds into the broadcast.

WATCH – Dr. Seffrin to Appear on Weekend Airing of ‘House Call’ with Dr. Sanjay Gupta

This weekend, Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports from Dublin, Ireland, from the first-ever LiveStrong Global Cancer Summit on progress in the fight against cancer around the world, tobacco control, and eliminating the stigma of cancer. In an interview with American Cancer Society CEO Dr. John Seffrin, Gupta talks about the passing of U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, reports on Senator Kennedy’s courageous battle against brain cancer, and his example as an “empowered patient.”  Dr. Gupta also interviews Dr. Henry Friedman, an internationally-renown neuro-oncologist at the Robert Preston Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University in North Carolina, and discusses treatments for brain tumors.

American Cancer Society Hosts Panel Discussion on Stigma of Cancer at Livestrong Global Cancer Summit

Greg Donaldson, national vice president of Corporate Communications for the American Cancer Society moderates a panel discussion on cancer stigma. Panelists include (from left to right): Dr. Xishan Hao, president of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Dr. M. R. Rajagopal, founder and chairman of Pallium India; Dr. Alejandro Mohar, director of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico; Rick Lyke, cancer survivor and founder of Pints for Prostates, a nonprofit based in the United States; and Molebatsi Pooe-Shongwe, a cancer survivor and founder of BreastSens, a nonprofit breast health and health care rights initiative in South Africa.

On the final day of the Livestrong Global Cancer Summit in Dublin, Ireland, the American Cancer Society hosted a lively panel discussion on the stigma of cancer in different countries around the world. Greg Donaldson, national vice president of Corporate Communications for the American Cancer Society, served as the moderator for the event, providing context and perspective on the topic and guiding the conversation among the panelists. The five distinguished guests on the panel included Dr. Xishan Hao, president of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Dr. M. R. Rajagopal, founder and chairman of Pallium India; Dr. Alejandro Mohar, director of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico; Rick Lyke, cancer survivor and founder of Pints for Prostates, a nonprofit based in the United States; and Molebatsi Pooe-Shongwe, a cancer survivor and founder of BreastSens, a nonprofit breast health and health care rights initiative in South Africa. The panelists provided insights on some of the cultural, gender-based, and political reasons for the stigma associated with cancer in their countries. They also offered ideas on breaking the influence of the stigma, including empowering survivors to tell their stories and the importance of doctors, nongovernmental organizations, the media, and government institutions working more closely together to create better public awareness of cancer control methods.

American Cancer Society Meets with Leaders in Public Health at 3rd Stop Cervical Cancer in Africa Conference

From left to right:  Her Excellency Mrs. Tobeka Madiba-Zuma, First Lady of the Republic of South Africa; Her Excellency Princess Nchegechege of Swaziland, Princess Nikky Onyeri of Nigeria (founder and executive director of the Princess Nikky Breast Cancer Foundation, and the conference host), and Her Excellency Hon. Janet Museveni of Uganda

The American Cancer Society joined with other public health organizations at the 3rd Stop Cervical Cancer in Africa Conference, which was held July 19-21 in Cape Town, South Africa. Loyce Pace Bass, director, Regional Programs, American Cancer Society, met with public health leaders from Burkina Faso, Kenya, Malawi, Seychelles, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and other nations to discuss their challenges and best practices. Information was provided to participants on the millions of women in Africa living with cervical cancer and the challenge to improve access to lifesaving prevention, diagnostic, and treatment resources. There was a call for civil society, clinical, and government stakeholders present to advocate for the HPV vaccine and low-resource screening programs (i.e. VIA), as well as patient care and support. Goodwill messages were presented from a number of distinguished guests, including Tobeka Madiba-Zuma, first lady of the Republic of South Africa. During the closing ceremonies for the conference, Madiba-Zuma and other first ladies of Africa launched the new Forum of African First Ladies Against Breast & Cervical Cancer. In addition, parliamentary and ministry commitments by several African governments to national planning and civil society engagement on cervical cancer were announced.