The Global Fight Against Cancer

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.

Oxford Health Alliance Videos Featuring American Cancer Society International Activities

Image from the Oxford Health Alliance video on American Cancer Society international activities released on April 3.

The American Cancer Society is collaborating with the Oxford Health Alliance (OxHA) to produce videos for OxHA’s Web site www.3four50.com that highlight the Society’s international programs and activities. This Web site is part of an OxHA health initiative, an awareness-raising and action-based online social network aimed at preventing chronic disease. Four videos have been posted online so far, with more on the way soon. To view the American Cancer Society-related videos already posted (on February 20, March 6, March 20, and April 3), please visit the 3FOUR50 Video News Web page.   

American Cancer Society’s India Cancer Initiative Launches New Web Site

The India Cancer Initiative project reached a major milestone with the official launch of a Web site for the initiative at a special screening of the Atlanta Indo-American Film Festival held at the High Museum of Art on October 3. The Web site, primarily aimed at the Asian Indian community living in the US, provides information on the cancer crisis in India, the American Cancer Society’s efforts to address the India cancer burden, and ways that the community can contribute to the cause. The American Cancer Society launched the India Cancer Initiative to further its reach on the global fight against cancer, providing a platform to empower Indians to make informed decisions around cancer treatment, prevention, and early detection; reduce tobacco use through tobacco cessation programs; and improve the quality of life of cancer patients by addressing their physical, psychological, and social needs. The American Cancer Society’s South Atlantic Division spearheaded the creation and launch of the Web site, and it has taken a leadership role in helping promote the Web site among the Asian Indian community in the United States. For more information on the India Cancer Initiative, please visit www.cancer.org/indiainitiative

New Web Site Connects Latin American Cancer Control NGOs

RedCancer is a new Web site that promotes increased networking and the exchange of best practices in the fight against cancer among Latin American cancer control nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). This Web site is supported by the American Cancer Society as part of the Society’s three-year Latin America Regional Health Grants Program. Fourteen NGOs that have participated in American Cancer Society University (ACSU) trainings are already connected through this publically accessible Web site. The site allows NGO users to share their insights on such subjects as fundraising, volunteerism, and advocacy through a blog; there’s also an area for uploading documents, presentations, project summaries, and event pictures. In addition, the NGOs have promoted press coverage of the Web site, which has generated more than 50 media stories in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Venezuela. To learn more about RedCancer, visit www.RedCancer.org. To view a recent news report on RedCancer that appeared in Spanish on Argentine television, please visit Un Sitio Web Para Pacientes con Cáncer.