American Cancer Society Chief Operating Officer Greg Bontrager (center) speaks with workshop participants in Hong Kong.
Prior to the start of the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010 in Shenzhen, China, the American Cancer Society hosted the final workshop as part of its Asia Regional Cancer Control Program in Hong Kong from August 12-15. More than 30 representatives from the program’s ten grantee organizations attended the event, which focused on cancer control advocacy principles and practices. The workshop featured regional guest speakers such as Jack Sim, a global activist for water and sanitation facilities in low-resource settings, Ken Hanioka and Ryoji Noritake of Health Policy Institute Japan, Ratih Hardjono, a prominent advocacy and communications expert based in Indonesia, and representatives of the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society. American Cancer Society Immediate Past President Elizabeth “Terry” Fontham, MPH, DrPH, presented a module on advocacy collaborations. American Cancer Society Chief Operating Officer Greg Bontrager facilitated an executive roundtable to discuss advocacy as it relates to program sustainability as well as future engagement of the Society with regional stakeholders. Grantees developed national advocacy workplans as part of the workshop and identified areas of regional overlap. Attendees also offered input on the Society’s global advocacy strategy and ideas for mobilizing grassroots partners throughout Southeast Asia in a noncommunicable disease campaign. The workshop was funded through a grant to the American Cancer Society by the Pfizer Foundation and was attended by Pfizer Asia representatives. The grant-funded program will continue through December 2010.
In addition, American Cancer Society staff participated in a workshop for Global Health Partnerships initiative grantees in Shenzhen, China, in advance of the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010. The workshop convened cancer and tobacco control organizations from around the world to discuss program sustainability. The American Cancer Society manages three projects funded by the initiative: the Asia Regional Cancer Control Program, the Latin America Regional Health Grants Program, and the Smokefree at Work (Travaillons Sans Fumee) program in North Africa. Collectively, these programs have directly engaged a total of 32 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and nearly 150,000 stakeholders (including screened individuals, companies, policymakers, youth, and volunteers), and reached millions through informational materials, media, and research. American Cancer Society staff Johanna Ralston, vice president, Global Strategies, and Alessandra Durstine, vice president, Regional Programs, presented at the workshop on strategic fundraising and grassroots advocacy for noncommunicable disease. In addition, eight Asia program grantees were supported through the American Cancer Society’s grant to attend the workshop and UICC conference. The Global Health Partnerships initiative is funded by Pfizer Foundation and Pfizer, Inc. The American Cancer Society has been a grantee since 2007 and the Society’s grant-funded programs will continue through 2010 and early 2011.