LIVESTRONG Attends World Health Organization Meeting

Feb 24, 2010 by Morgan Binswanger (LIVESTRONG Staff)

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Very cool stuff is happening internationally on the cancer front. LIVESTRONG was asked to participate by the World Health Organization in an international gathering focusing on non-communicable diseases. The purpose was to add momentum in strategically building the case for non-communicable diseases to be on the global agenda. Currently, that’s not the case.

Cancer is central to this effort – a tent pole – along with heart disease and obesity, as just two examples (and they are all potentially related as triggers). About 100 leaders worked over the 36 hours of meetings, developing strategic designs for how to push world leaders, governments, investors and global non-profits to acknowledge this need and reorient comprehensive patient care.

Meeting of Non-Communicable Disease Organizations

That’s a tall order in many underdeveloped countries. Health systems are weak, cancer is stigmatized and the capability for significant change very tough. Nonetheless, this is the right fight. It’s exciting to see LIVESTRONG at this table, hearing others refer to our Global Summit and overall work after 12 years. Efforts like these relate to our core mission in seeing an increasing global recognition for specific action in palliative care, adding more knowledge to the economic toll these diseases take and also demanding more robust prevention measures.

General Assembly Hall where all delegates met Princess Haia and Mathilde from Jordan and Belgium moderated along with Margaret Chan, head of WHO

More to come over the next few months.

LIVESTRONG,

Morgan