|
|
October 2008 Volume 2 #3
 HIFU or HYPE-U? New therapy for advanced PCa to be tested Male depression and prostate cancer The WWPCC in Geneva |
From Switzerland to Aukland and all points in between: The WWPCC in Geneva  "The most important thing was the opportunity to present the credentials of the Worldwide Prostate Cancer Coalition (WWPCC) to a group of international doctors and medical professionals," said CPCN President Bob Shiell about his recent speech to the 20th UICC World Cancer Congress in Geneva, Switzerland. "It was historic," agrees CPCN Executive Director Wally Seeley, "arguably the first time in the history of survivor-professional relations that survivors were invited to participate directly in an international conference of this standing."The UICC World Cancer Congress has gathered regularly since its inaugural meeting in 1933, which took place in Madrid. Many other nations --- France, Argentina, Russia, Japan, Hungary, Brazil, and India --- have provided the setting for this prestigious conference, which focuses on transforming the latest cancer research and knowledge into strategies that countries, communities, institutions, and individuals can employ to reduce the burden of this disease. At the 2008 Congress, Bob Shiell and Wally Seeley, respectively the secretary and treasurer of the WWPCC, were part of a session describing the global problem presented by prostate cancer and how "moving forward together" is the only solution, a solution that will point all men with prostate cancer and their loved ones toward "a future of hope." Virgil Simons (United States), Tom Hudson (Ireland), and Barry Young (New Zealand) also took part in the session. Virgil Simons outlined the global burden of prostate cancer, mentioning that health care costs as a percentage of the GDP were on the rise internationally and that the aging population of many European and North American countries would exacerbate this trend. Tom Hudson described the WWPCC as part of the solution, sketching out the group's "work in progress" and listing its membership. Currently, it has representatives from 29 countries on 5 continents. But to "unite the world in the battle with prostate cancer" is a great challenge. Information, medical expertise, and other resources are not equally available worldwide. There are discrepancies in drug availability and medical coverage, screening accessibility, and treatment modalities, both within and between countries. Consequently, high-risk patients do not always get the life-saving support they need. Barry Young and Wally Seeley also commented on the uneven distribution of the resources that are necessary in the fight against prostate cancer. There are whole areas of the world, for example, without any survivor support. And many countries have particular challenges. In Guyana between 2000 and 2004, prostate cancer ranked second when it came to incidence (326 cases), but it had the highest mortality rate of any cancer. Far away in the heart of the South Pacific, there is a different problematic situation. "Cook Islands men are reluctant to talk about health problems, and they are particularly reluctant to talk about a health problem that affects one of their sexual organs," reports Barry Young, who has been instrumental in extending some of the services of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand to these men. The WWPCC aims to organize survivors in a worldwide response to prostate disease, enlisting the help of global organizations, national and local support networks, medical and public health professionals, and leaders in industry. And it has taken a number of significant steps. As Bob Shiell explains, "WWPCC has brought together the world's best prostate cancer advocates, and, united under the WWPCC banner, we can share information, ideas, visions, and dreams; set goals and priorities and develop action plans; and minimize the impact of prostate diseases in the global community." As you can imagine, the WWPCC faces some special challenges when in comes to operationalizing these laudable goals. Communication is sometimes difficult. "Our executive are all in different time zones, and New Zealand is a whole day ahead of Calgary," quips Bob Shiell. "Not to mention all the different tax laws" and other regulations governing the incorporation or registration of organizations and support groups. Still, the WWPCC is moving ahead with establishing its actual and virtual address and building on the partnerships it has already instituted. "To be effective, though, the organization has to go beyond its present borders," says Wally Seeley. And this development is important given the WWPCC's key goals:
For more information on the WWPCC session at the 2008 UICC World Cancer Congress, visit the UICC website. |
 www.cpcn.org | cpcn@nexicom.net | Phn: (705) 652-9200 | Fax: (705) 652-0663 Toll Free 1-866-810-CPCN (2726) Toll Free 1-888-322-5735 (français) |