The Global Fight Against Cancer

High Plains Volunteer and International Staff Participate in Latin American Patient Forum

Rose Osborn, High Plains Division Volunteer; Alison Mitchell, International Affairs

On June 26-27, the Society joined more than 500 cancer patients and leaders of cancer nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to participate in a Latin American patient forum held in Bogota, Colombia. The forum provided an opportunity for these groups to discuss the importance of volunteerism and how to involve cancer patients in cancer advocacy and community activities. Rose Osborn, a Reach to Recovery® volunteer in the Society’s High Plains Division, and Alison Mitchell of the Society’s International Affairs department shared their cancer experiences. Cristina Parsons Perez, the Society’s manager of Latin America initiatives, delivered a presentation on volunteerism and the role of civil society in the fight against cancer. The forum was sponsored by Vivir, Colombia Saludable, and Roche Colombia.

Society Participates in Global Tobacco Control Conference held in Bangkok, Thailand June 30 – July 6, 2007

The American Cancer Society’s International Tobacco Control staff attended the second session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) from June 30 to July 6, 2007, in Bangkok, Thailand. At this meeting, Parties to the Convention discussed and made decisions regarding implementation of the FCTC, the world’s first public health treaty. Among the items discussed were the elimination of illicit trade and cross-border tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship; the packaging and labeling of tobacco products; and tobacco product regulation. Technical and procedural matters, such as financial resources and reporting mechanisms, were also discussed. One of the major outcomes of the conference was the adoption of the guidelines for implementing Article 8 of the FCTC, which provides public protection from exposure to tobacco smoke. The approval of the Article 8 guidelines is a tremendous achievement in global public health. To date, 148 countries, or about 80 percent of the world’s population, have ratified the FCTC, and their support of the guidelines represents their unwavering commitment to protecting the public from the hazards of secondhand smoke. The American Cancer Society, in its capacity as co-host of the Global Smokefree Partnership, launched a campaign to build support among policymakers for strong and effective Article 8 guidelines. The campaign, entitled “Global Voices for a Smokefree World” garnered signatures from more than 500 organizations from civil society in 100 countries.

Society Joins Global Call to Stop Cervical Cancer

Thirteen global civil society and public health organizations have launched the Global Call to Stop Cervical Cancer – a disease that kills more than a quarter of a million women each year. This Global Call aims to mobilize political support to ensure that every woman and girl has access to newly available lifesaving vaccines and new screening and treatment tools. Members of the strategic advisory committee for the Global Call to Stop Cervical Cancer include The World YWCA, The Rockefeller Foundation, PATH, The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), Family Care International, JHPIEGO, American Cancer Society, The AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC), The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA), the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), and Sociedad Latinoamericana y del Caribe de Oncologia Medica (SLACOM). The Global Call is supported by funding from the Rockefeller Foundation and PATH. Global Health Strategies, New York, is the secretariat for this effort.

Germany Hosts International Relay For Life® Europe Summit 2007

On June 28 – July 1, cancer organizations from six European nations participated in the International Relay For Life Europe Summit 2007 held in Eckernfoerde, Germany. The summit provided an opportunity for International Relay field staff and volunteers to discuss strategies for sustainable growth of their local events, to share information, and to bring renewed energy to planned events. Representatives from Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United Kingdom participated in workshop sessions on volunteerism, recruitment, education activities, and fundraising. The group also attended Germany's third annual Relay For Life (Lauf ins Leben) event in Eckernfoerde, an event which drew 46 teams, including 50 survivors, and raised 22,000 Euro for the Schleswig-Holsteinische Krebsgesellschaft. Reuel Johnson, national vice president, Relay For Life, led a senior staff meeting for all of the organizations to discuss International Relay For Life program development and strategic planning.

Society Co-hosts Psycho Oncology Training in China

In 2007, the American Cancer Society helped the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association establish the Chinese Psycho Oncology Society (CPOS). This year, the Society proudly co-hosted the first Psycho Oncology Training on July 11-13 in Huangshan, China. More than 60 passionate oncologists from 40 cancer hospitals across China attended this groundbreaking training, in which discussion topics included depression, social support, quality of life, pain management, psychological nursing care, and hospice. Feedback indicates that topics covered in this two-day event significantly increased participants’ understanding of how to better serve their cancer patients and that much more training is needed in China. All participants expressed their gratitude to the American Cancer Society for its support of the advancement of China's psycho oncology movement.

American Cancer Society University Held July 4 in Taipei, Taiwan

On July 4, 2007,  the Taiwan Bureau of Health Promotion held an American Cancer Society University (ACSU) training in Taipei, Taiwan. Thirty scholars from 11 nongovernmental cancer control organizations participated. Nine agencies presented progress reports on their Society-funded projects. The ACSU “Patient Advocacy” and “Strategic Planning” modules were facilitated by volunteers Emery Kong of the Northern California Chinese Unit, and Dr. Daisy Saw of the Society’s New York Asian Unit. This program was a continuation of the ACSU Taipei training in October 2006 and was made possible by the generous support of TTY Biopharm of Taiwan and the Taiwan Bureau of Health Promotion. After the first training in 2006, the Bureau of Health Promotion provided $90,000 in seed grants for ACSU scholars to put their learning into practice at the community level.