An Update on the Global Campaign

Dec 14, 2010 by Rebekkah Schear (LIVESTRONG Staff)

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This year, we launched several new initiatives towards the achievement of our goal of changing the way the world fights cancer:

• Fighting Cancer Stigma Globally: We began implementation of the first national cancer anti-stigma initiative with a pilot in South Africa and will be replicating the initiative in Mexico beginning in early 2011. If successful, we will have a model for fighting cancer stigma globally.

• The Patient Empowerment Project: In partnership with the American Cancer Society, we launched a pilot project designed to change cancer policy in countries with gaps in cancer support by utilizing the power of the patient voice. The Project will prepare local organizations to hold a cancer patient forums to create a national call to action. A pilot is underway in South Africa and one in Mexico is soon to follow.

• Improving Access to Cancer Care in Developing Countries: Together with a group of experts, LIVESTRONG and our international partners are devising strategies for the financing and procurement of affordable, essential cancer drugs, vaccines and services for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and palliation for developing countries.

• Raising Awareness of the Global Cancer Burden: By documenting crucial issues, like the economic cost of cancer and supporting major collaborative efforts like the upcoming UN Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases, we are successfully proving that if we act now to raise awareness we can stem the growing tide of this disease.

In June, we asked our commitment makers to update us on the progress of their global commitments. The responses told us that together, over the course of only one year, the global cancer community of LIVESTRONG Commitment Makers has:

• Directly affected over 1.5 million lives through services, programs and trainings
• Indirectly affected over 200 million lives through education and awareness messages

Know that both individually and together with other organizations, we are helping millions of cancer survivors, families and communities. Look for more information about the Global Commitment Makers in the upcoming edition of The LIVESTRONG Quarterly.