The Global Fight Against Cancer

American Cancer Society Hosts Workshop on Tobacco Control for 28 Journalists in Hanoi, Vietnam

Participants in the journalist workshop on tobacco control in Hanoi, Vietnam

 

The American Cancer Society conducted a journalist workshop on tobacco control for 28 journalists May 5-6 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Tobacco Control Journalist Fellowship Program was supported by Atlantic Philanthropies, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, and VINACOSH, a Vietnamese tobacco control organization and partner of the American Cancer Society. The training began with a press conference sponsored by the World Lung Foundation, highlighting the success of its television tobacco control media campaign. This was followed by an advanced media training program. Tuyet Ha-Iaconis, Vietnam program manager, American Cancer Society, and her team developed the program to foster discussions between journalists and representatives of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), enabling them to share key information and messages that they in turn can provide to villages and provinces about the dangers of tobacco. Tobacco control experts in Vietnam participated in roundtable discussions with journalists on issues such as smoke-free areas, health warning labels, tobacco tax, and tobacco advertising. The two-day workshop included presentations by American Cancer Society staff Danny Ingram, chief staff officer, Strategic Initiatives, High Plains Division; and Evan Blecher, economist, International Tobacco Control Research. There was also a visit to the National Cancer Hospital in Hanoi, where participants were able to interact with cancer patients and their families. A team of media professionals helped to facilitate the training, including Vu Manh Cuong, deputy editor-in-chief, Lao Dong newspaper in Vietnam; Mary Cardaras, a former CNN producer; and Gita Pullapilly, a former US and global journalist. The 28 journalist fellows will continue to report on tobacco control issues in Vietnam and receive guidance and feedback from global health and tobacco control experts throughout the year. 

¡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!

American Cancer Society Hosts Fellowship for Latin American Cancer Control Leaders

Latin American fellows and American Cancer Society staff taking part in the Latin America Best Practices Fellowship Program.

Ten leaders of cancer control nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Latin America recently took part in the Latin America Best Practices Fellowship Program. The event, which was held in Austin, Texas, was organized by the American Cancer Society International Affairs Department and the American Cancer Society High Plains Division. The fellows, from Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Guatemala, are winners of the 2007 and 2008 American Cancer Society Latin American Best Practices Awards, annual honors that recognize excellence in cancer patient care in the region. The four-day fellowship program provided these cancer control leaders the opportunity to learn from American Cancer Society staff about clinical trials, volunteerism, and patient navigation. The fellows also visited a Relay For Life® event held in Austin. Winners of the Latin American Best Practice Awards are selected via a competitive application process. About 200 applications have been submitted by Latin American cancer control organizations during the past two years. Along with the opportunity to engage in the fellowship experience, the winning organizations receive a grant to further strengthen their cancer control programs. The Latin America Best Practices Awards will be soliciting applications for its 2009 program starting later this summer.

American Cancer Society Brazilian Fellows Seek to Improve Breast Cancer Control in Brazil

The Brazilian fellows visit the American Cancer Society National Home Office in Atlanta.  From left to right:  Gustavo Azenha, manager, Brazilian Initiatives, American Cancer Society; Dr. Maira Caleffi, founding president of FEMAMA; Regina Vargas, advocacy coordinator for FEMAMA.

Two representatives of the Brazilian breast cancer coalition Federação Brasileira de Instituções Filantropicas de Apoio a Saude da Mama (FEMAMA) recently participated in a weeklong American Cancer Society fellowship, awarded to them after receiving an American Cancer Society Latin America Best Practice Award for networking. The fellows, Maira Caleffi, MD, PhD, founding president of FEMAMA, and Regina Vargas, advocacy coordinator for FEMAMA, visited American Cancer Society offices in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington, D.C., to share their knowledge and experience about breast cancer control in Brazil and learn more about governance and advocacy issues from American Cancer Society staff. At the American Cancer Society’s National Home Office (NHO) in Atlanta, the fellows met with John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society, as well as other Society leaders. They also gave a presentation to the NHO staff on the breast cancer burden in Brazil and FEMAMA’s advocacy work. In Washington, Bob Chapman, director of operations for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action NetworkSM (ACS CAN) and other ACS CAN staff provided Caleffi and Vargas with a detailed look at American Cancer Society advocacy initiatives, including media engagement, policy development, campaign planning, grassroots mobilization, and new media advocacy. (ACS CAN is the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the Society). The fellows returned to Brazil with a wealth of exciting new ideas and strategies to strengthen FEMAMA coalition governance, enrich grassroots outreach, enhance advocacy actions, and catalyze positive changes in breast cancer control in Brazil.

Vietnamese Health Professionals Take Part in the American Cancer Society Fellowship Program

 

David Veneziano, CEO, ACS California Division, Inc. with Vietnamese Fellows

From left to right: Viet Dung Nguyen, the Vietnam Steering Committee on Smoking and Health (VINACOSH), David Veneziano, American Cancer Society, and Thu Le Thi, HealthBridge Foundation.

The American Cancer Society’s California Division, in collaboration with the International Affairs Department, welcomed two health professionals from Vietnam for a 10-day fellowship program in mid-January aimed at sharing best practices in tobacco control advocacy and patient services. The fellows, Mr. Viet Dung Nguyen of the Vietnam Steering Committee on Smoking and Health (VINACOSH) and Ms. Thu Le Thi of the HealthBridge Foundation, have led cancer prevention efforts in a country where cancer has become a major health issue. Among the highlights of the fellowship were discussions between the fellows and the Division’s government relations staff on California’s legislative victories in tobacco control. There were also meetings with representatives from the California Department of Health in which the fellows learned about the department’s programs and institutions, many of which target California’s own substantial Vietnamese population. Over the past few years, the American Cancer Society’s International Affairs Department has collaborated with cancer control advocates in Vietnam, focusing primarily on tobacco control efforts since the country has the 22nd highest rate of smoking prevalence in the world. Recently, the department received a grant from Atlantic Philanthropies to support Vietnam’s efforts to enact smoke-free legislation and strengthen the network of tobacco control advocates.

American Cancer Society Supports Leadership Development for the Cancer Foundation of India

Left to right: Soumita Ray, American Cancer Society fellow; Smritikana Ghosh, American Cancer Society fellow; Patricia P. Hoge, RN, PhD, chief mission officer, American Cancer Society South Atlantic Division; Navami Naik, lead manager, India Programs, American Cancer Society South Atlantic Division

The American Cancer Society’s South Atlantic Division (SAD) hosted a fellowship program for two staff members from the Cancer Foundation of India (CFI), a leading cancer control nongovernmental organization in Kolkata, India. The fellows, Smritikana Ghosh, a social worker coordinating CFI's cervical cancer screening projects, and Soumita Ray, the coordinator of CFI's breast cancer program supported by the American Cancer Society, "Women in Pink," took part in a two-week fellowship program centered on mission delivery. They had the opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices in patient services and outreach with SAD staff and volunteers, and learned more about SAD’s call center and the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, as well as programs to engage youth in the cancer cause. The Society’s International Affairs Department has worked over the past three years to secure support from the Society’s Divisions to host fellowships like the one done by CFI. This collaborative effort draws from the experience of the field and supports the global strategies of building leadership skills and extending the networks of the international cancer community. SAD has collaborated with CFI since 2006, when the Division hosted its first fellowship program for the executive director of the organization, Sutapa Biswas.

American Cancer Society Fellow Develops Partnership to Raise Cancer Awareness in the Dominican Republic

Flyer from the Dominican Cancer League promoting early detection

The Dominican Cancer League recently formed a partnership with a Spanish-owned supermarket chain, to help raise funds for the American Cancer Society-supported cervical cancer and awareness project Prevention as a Better Cure in the Dominican Republic. The funds raised by the patrons of the Bravo Supermercados chain will provide much needed resources for the cancer league’s educational and early detection services, and will help the organization diversify its revenue base. One of the towns that has benefited from this project is Boca Chica. In conjunction with Children’s International, educational and screening activities are taking place there in two health centers that are effectively reaching children and mothers alike. From November 2007 until April 2008, 720 women have been screened, 77 of whom were detected with preinvasive cervical conditions. More than 70 percent of the women who were evaluated have been provided some form of follow-up treatment. Dr. Natalia Frias, education director for the cancer league and an American Cancer Society fellow, credits her ability to secure this partnership – a first for her organization – to what she learned from her fellowship with the Society’s Pennsylvania Division.

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 California Division Hosts Philippines Cancer Society Fellowship Program

   
Luzmindo B. Fajardo, executive director of the Philippines Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society California Division hosted the Philippines Cancer Society (PCS) Fellowship Program during April 16-28 in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Palm Desert. Luzmindo B. Fajardo, executive director of the Philippines Cancer Society, took part in the PCS Fellowship Program on best practices in advocacy, community outreach, and patient services. The fellowship gave him the opportunity to build bridges with important constituents in the Filipino-American community. He met with a wide range of groups and individuals, including California Division staff and volunteers, nongovernmental organization (NGO) representatives, reporters, and donors. He participated in two cultivation and awareness events to highlight the Society’s work in San Francisco and Los Angeles, co-hosted by the California Division and the Society's National Home Office International Affairs Department. The attendees included David Veneziano, chief executive officer of the California Division; Consuls General of the Philippines Marciano Paynor and Mary Jo Bernardo Aragon; Continental Airlines; Siemens; Sony Tri Star Pictures; and TV5MONDE. The American Cancer Society's fellowship program serves to build stronger connections between the American Cancer Society and cancer control leaders around the world.

American Cancer Society Hosts Latin American Fellows for Tobacco Control Advocacy Program

From left to right: Marina Seelig, fellow from Brazil; Diana Vaca, director, Fellowships and Stakeholder Relations, American Cancer Society National Home Office; Frank Perez, vice president for Disparities and International Outreach, American Cancer Society Great West Division; Victor Raúl San Martín, fellow from Paraguay; Andrés Cevallos, fellow from Mexico; Inés Amato, fellow from Argentina; Lynne Smith, director, Tobacco Programs, American Cancer Society Great West Division

On April 6-13, the American Cancer Society Great West Division hosted a smoke-free fellowship training program in Tucson, Arizona, for four Latin American tobacco control advocates. This is the American Cancer Society’s first tobacco control fellowship focused on smoke-free policies that was sponsored by a Society Division. The selected fellows include Andrés Cevallos of Mexico, Inés Amato of Argentina, Victor Raúl San Martín of Paraguay, and Marina Seelig of Brazil. The program addressed advocacy for smoke-free policies in Latin America, showing how the fellows can work with community leaders and other key stakeholders in their countries to effectively implement and enforce smoke-free policies. By sharing its expertise on smoke-free issues in these types of programs, the American Cancer Society’s international tobacco control program helps tobacco control advocates become engaged in the growing global smoke-free movement.