KEEPING BREAST CANCER ON THE EUROPEAN HEALTH AGENDA

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EUROPA DONNA – The European Breast Cancer Coalition

Susan Knox, Executive Director

KEEPING BREAST CANCER ON THE EUROPEAN HEALTH AGENDA

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Ensure that all European Women have Access to Accurate Information and Quality Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment

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EUROPA DONNA Ten Goals

• To promote the dissemination and exchange of factual, up-to-date information on breast cancer throughout Europe

• To promote breast awareness• To emphasise the need for appropriate screening and early detection• To campaign for the provision of optimum treatment• To ensure provision of quality supportive care throughout and after

treatment• To advocate appropriate training for health professionals• To acknowledge good practice and promote its development• To demand regular quality assessment of medical equipment • To ensure that all women understand fully any proposed treatment

options, including entry into clinical trials and their right to a second opinion

• To promote the advancement of breast cancer research

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34 Member Countries• Austria• Belgium• Bulgaria• Croatia• Cyprus • Czech Republic• Denmark• Estonia• France• Germany• Greece• Hungary• Iceland • Ireland• Israel• Italy• Lithuania

• Luxembourg• Malta• Monaco• The Netherlands• Norway• Poland• Portugal• Romania• Russia• Serbia and Montenegro • Slovenia• Spain• Sweden• Switzerland• Turkey• UK• Ukraine

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EUROPA DONNA StrengthEuropean advocacy organisation with European strategy and goals +Extensive network of survivors working at national level, ED fora

SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS AND NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES

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What Are We Lobbying For?

• Screening according to European Mammography Screening Guidelines

• Specialist Breast Clinics according to EUSOMA Guidelines

• National breast cancer registries

• More resources for research

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Steps toward a Resolution• EUROPA DONNA gives 1st Eur. Parliament Reception (2000)

• Submission of Views to EC on Setting up European Health Forum (2001)

• European Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer Formed EPGBC (2001) with EUROPA DONNA as Secretariat

• EUROPA DONNA invited to join European Health Forum (2001)

• Exhibition and reception on Breast Cancer across the EU (collaboration w/ EBCN, EORTC, EUSOMA, ENCR, BIG) (2002)

• European Patients Forum – ED on Exec. Comm. (2002)

• First Public Hearing on Breast Cancer at Parliament to prepare Breast Cancer Report (2002)

• STOA (research workshop) meeting - Brussels to provide more info for Parliament Report (2003)

• Report drafted in Women’s Committee - Karin Jöns MEP Rapporteur (2003)

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Resolution voted on and passed by Parliament

June 2003

(Historic First Vote)

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Other 2003 Milestones

• Commission Screening recommendations published

• European Code against Cancer revised

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2004 and Beyond

• European Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer (EPGBC) EPGBC.ORG Website Launch 1st Meeting 12 October 2004

• European Parliament Breast Cancer Resolution Implementation at national level ED Workshops, Training and Publications EBCC4 Individual National Initiatives

• European Health Forum; European Patients Forum

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Winning The Battle Means Keeping Our Focus

Keeping breast cancer on the political agenda

at all levels – at local and national levels and at

European level

Involving all parties-women, health

professionals, policy makers, NGO’s, industry,

media and government

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Via G Previati 12, 20149 Milan, Italywww.cancereurope.org/europadonna

europadonna@mclink.it