On October 5, 2016, the International Cancer Expert Corps Board of Directors hosted the second in a series of receptions, “Partnering to Transform Global Cancer Care” at the New York Athletic Club in New York City. The purpose of the event series is to introduce the efforts of the organization to friends and colleagues in the corporate, scientific, governmental and philanthropic communities.
This well-attended event, made possible through the generous financial and in-kind support of Strategic Visions in Healthcare; the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Radiation Medicine Program in Toronto, Ontario; Pfizer, VIA Studios Global and others companies and individuals, attracted a broad range of interested guests. Attendees included representatives from Cancer Africa, Columbia University, Duke Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, International Organization of Medical Physics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Medical College of Wisconsin, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, MIT, Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center, NCI Radiation Research Program, New York-Presbyterian, Nuclear Threat Initiative, NYU Langone Medical Center, Pace University, Pfizer, Seaton Hall University, Starr Foundation, Strategic Visions in Healthcare, UN Coordination Division, United Office for Disarmament Affairs, UPENN, VIA Global Studio, Weill Cornell Medical College, Winthrop University Cancer Center and many others.
The evening was highlighted by a short program which included overviews of several initiatives focused on access to, and the delivery of, global cancer care. Dr. Norm Coleman, Senior Scientific Advisor to the ICEC, set the stage emphasizing the significant burden of non-communicable diseases in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, and that this burden has been recognized by the United Nations and is now a part of its Sustainable Development Goals. Dr. Coleman proffered that the need for transformational change in global cancer care can be addressed by the ICEC’s global mentorship model that leverages opportunities for academics, retirees and healthcare providers in private practice, while also considering new technologies to improve access to care. Referring to the Gap projections stated by the IAEA, “If only one effective radiation treatment unit is commissioned every week, it will take a century to solve this problem”. The shortage of human capital, as well as medical technology, is staggering.
Dr. Nelson Chao, MD, MBA, Director of the Global Cancer Institute at Duke University, reflected on the importance of collaborations in efforts to make substantive improvements in global health initiatives. He highlighted Duke’s efforts across multi-specialty disciplines in Tanzania. This collaboration illustrates the importance of ICEC’s mission and the need to support and sustain this work in LMICs and other challenging environments.
John “Mac” Longo, MD, of the Medical College of Wisconsin described the efforts of radiation oncology residents as members of the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology (ARRO). These individuals, using their enthusiasm and initiative, have taken the initiative to increase awareness of health care disparities and opportunities to improve the quality of cancer care worldwide. As one of ICEC’s Ellen Lewis Stovall Early Career Leaders, Mac has been instrumental in promoting his recent experiences and successes as part of an expanding global focus. Mac shared his experiences working with the Walking Forward Program in South Dakota. This successful Cancer Disparities Research Partnership (CDRP) pilot program was initiated by the Radiation Research Program (RRP) within the National Cancer Institute (NCI)’s Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD) in 2002 as a novel strategy to address the cancer health disparities that exist in racial, ethnic, minority, and underserved populations within the United States.
Onyinye Balogun, MD, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at Weill Cornell Medical College, described her efforts focused on Global Health Programs at the National Center for Oncology in Yerevan, Armenia and at the Libreville Cancer Institute in Libreville, Gabon. Onyi shared some of the surprising conditions often found in existing healthcare centers in LMICs and the challenges faced trying to implement protocol- or guideline-based care. Working with local healthcare providers, Onyi focused on designing and delivering a training curriculum to transition radiation oncologists, therapists and medical physicists from delivering 2-D Radiotherapy to the safe and effective delivery of 3D- Conformal and Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy where there previously had been none. In addition, Onyi painted a chilling picture illustrating the critical need for mentoring partnerships for fledgling healthcare professionals who currently have little-to-no support. Though Onyi has experienced many trials and tribulations, her singular efforts and the efforts of others have been met with enthusiasm from in-country healthcare providers and have served as a catalyst to make a significant difference in the delivery of cancer care in these two countries.
Lastly, Silvia C. Formenti, MD, the Chair of Radiation Oncology at Weill Cornell Medical College and Radiation Oncologist-in-Chief at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, emphasized the enormous disparities in the delivery of healthcare and the importance of ICEC and other similar efforts and organizations to succeed. Stressing that while many people recognize the urgency to transform the delivery of global cancer care, the many small effective programs that currently exist do so in numbers far below the scope required. The ICEC is well positioned to expand and pair its mentoring network of expert healthcare providers with global partners to make immediate significant measured improvements in cancer care.
October 5, 2016, Reception – Organizations Represented
Cancer Africa
Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB)
Columbia University
Duke Cancer Institute
Glenmede
Harvard School of Medicine
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
International Organization of Medical Physics
Massachusetts General Hospital
Harvard Medical School
Medical College of Wisconsin
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
MIT
Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center
Mount Sinai Hospital
NCI Radiation Research Program
New York-Presbyterian/Queens
Nuclear Threat Initiative
NYU School of Medicine, NYU Langone Medical Center Perlmutter Cancer Center
Pace University
Pfizer
Seaton Hall University
Starr Foundation
Strategic Visions in Healthcare
United Nations Coordination Division
United Office for Disarmament Affairs
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
VIA Global Studio
Weill Cornell Medical College
News Deeply Features Early Career Leader Surbhi Grover
/in Articles / Publications, Latest NewsFor many, delays in treatment can be a matter of life and death. Take a look at the work one of our Early Career Leaders, Surbhi Grover, is doing to improve cervical cancer care in Botswana.
Read More
Facing Cancer Is Even Tougher If The Only Radiation Machine Is Broken
/in Articles / PublicationsIn Senegal, the only radiotherapy machine is broken, leaving patients without treatment and putting their lives at risk. For Senegalese patients, their only option is to travel 1,300 miles to Morocco for treatment.
Read more about it here.
Cancer-Terrorism Nexus in Cameroon
/in Articles / Publications, Latest NewsIn Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), there was an assumption that cancer and terrorism were two unconnected and low priority issues. Now, we know that these two issues are deeply connected and produce serious consequences. However, there are ways to minimize radiological terrorism and improve cancer care. Read more about Cancer-Terrorism Nexus in Cameroon.
Africa’s Emerging Cancer Crisis: A Call to Action
/in Articles / Publications, Latest NewsIn Africa, access to quality care is limited. Patients fail to receive sufficient preventative care, timely and thorough diagnoses, and adequate treatment services. Consequently, cancer is almost always fatal for patients in Africa. Read all about the emerging cancer crisis in Africa in this article from BIO Ventures and AORTIC.
WIRED highlights ICEC’s and other efforts to develop a novel linear accelerator for lower-resourced countries
/in Articles / PublicationsDue to the associated nuclear security risks of cobalt-60 and cesium-137 isotopic teletherapy machines to treat cancer patients in developing countries, the effort to reduce the number of such machines has spurred innovation in the design of linear accelerators. A new article in WIRED, “Mini particle accelerators make cancer treatment safer for everyone,” highlights the dangers of these radioactive materials and the current challenges in using linear accelerators to deliver radiotherapy in lower-resourced countries and other challenging environments. The International Cancer Expert Corps, in concert with world renowned physicists, engineers, scientists and others, is leading the effort to design and develop an innovative linear accelerator to address this issue to improve access to, and the quality of, cancer care globally.
Read the article
CERN Courier Article: Developing medical linacs for challenging regions
/in Articles / PublicationsDecember 2016 Issue: ICEC “Essential News” Letter
/in Articles / PublicationsThe growing trends toward isolationism and xenophobia make efforts of collaboration, person-to-person connectivity and sustainable partnerships such as those of ICEC even more important on a global level. Understanding the issues behind the global trends rather than simple condemnation can be of benefit in helping to improve existing relationships and conditions and to work toward novel approaches that can counterbalance intolerance. Being apolitical and global as well as focusing on cancer that transcends borders, ICEC is in an excellent position to build new models and bridges. As our recent efforts illustrate, we are well on our way to doing just that.
The December issues of the ICEC Essential News Letter of 2016 provides updates from activities over the last five months. Building from a detailed description of the various components and activities in the June 2016 ICEC Essential News Letter (Vol 1, No 2) we provide updates and a progress report. Read the ICEC Essential News Letter…
ICEC-sponsored, CERN-hosted workshop for innovative radiation technology
/in Latest NewsICEC hosted second in a series of receptions: “Partnering to Transform Global Cancer Care”
/in Latest NewsOn October 5, 2016, the International Cancer Expert Corps Board of Directors hosted the second in a series of receptions, “Partnering to Transform Global Cancer Care” at the New York Athletic Club in New York City. The purpose of the event series is to introduce the efforts of the organization to friends and colleagues in the corporate, scientific, governmental and philanthropic communities.
This well-attended event, made possible through the generous financial and in-kind support of Strategic Visions in Healthcare; the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Radiation Medicine Program in Toronto, Ontario; Pfizer, VIA Studios Global and others companies and individuals, attracted a broad range of interested guests. Attendees included representatives from Cancer Africa, Columbia University, Duke Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, International Organization of Medical Physics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Medical College of Wisconsin, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, MIT, Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center, NCI Radiation Research Program, New York-Presbyterian, Nuclear Threat Initiative, NYU Langone Medical Center, Pace University, Pfizer, Seaton Hall University, Starr Foundation, Strategic Visions in Healthcare, UN Coordination Division, United Office for Disarmament Affairs, UPENN, VIA Global Studio, Weill Cornell Medical College, Winthrop University Cancer Center and many others.
The evening was highlighted by a short program which included overviews of several initiatives focused on access to, and the delivery of, global cancer care. Dr. Norm Coleman, Senior Scientific Advisor to the ICEC, set the stage emphasizing the significant burden of non-communicable diseases in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, and that this burden has been recognized by the United Nations and is now a part of its Sustainable Development Goals. Dr. Coleman proffered that the need for transformational change in global cancer care can be addressed by the ICEC’s global mentorship model that leverages opportunities for academics, retirees and healthcare providers in private practice, while also considering new technologies to improve access to care. Referring to the Gap projections stated by the IAEA, “If only one effective radiation treatment unit is commissioned every week, it will take a century to solve this problem”. The shortage of human capital, as well as medical technology, is staggering.
Dr. Nelson Chao, MD, MBA, Director of the Global Cancer Institute at Duke University, reflected on the importance of collaborations in efforts to make substantive improvements in global health initiatives. He highlighted Duke’s efforts across multi-specialty disciplines in Tanzania. This collaboration illustrates the importance of ICEC’s mission and the need to support and sustain this work in LMICs and other challenging environments.
John “Mac” Longo, MD, of the Medical College of Wisconsin described the efforts of radiation oncology residents as members of the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology (ARRO). These individuals, using their enthusiasm and initiative, have taken the initiative to increase awareness of health care disparities and opportunities to improve the quality of cancer care worldwide. As one of ICEC’s Ellen Lewis Stovall Early Career Leaders, Mac has been instrumental in promoting his recent experiences and successes as part of an expanding global focus. Mac shared his experiences working with the Walking Forward Program in South Dakota. This successful Cancer Disparities Research Partnership (CDRP) pilot program was initiated by the Radiation Research Program (RRP) within the National Cancer Institute (NCI)’s Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD) in 2002 as a novel strategy to address the cancer health disparities that exist in racial, ethnic, minority, and underserved populations within the United States.
Onyinye Balogun, MD, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at Weill Cornell Medical College, described her efforts focused on Global Health Programs at the National Center for Oncology in Yerevan, Armenia and at the Libreville Cancer Institute in Libreville, Gabon. Onyi shared some of the surprising conditions often found in existing healthcare centers in LMICs and the challenges faced trying to implement protocol- or guideline-based care. Working with local healthcare providers, Onyi focused on designing and delivering a training curriculum to transition radiation oncologists, therapists and medical physicists from delivering 2-D Radiotherapy to the safe and effective delivery of 3D- Conformal and Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy where there previously had been none. In addition, Onyi painted a chilling picture illustrating the critical need for mentoring partnerships for fledgling healthcare professionals who currently have little-to-no support. Though Onyi has experienced many trials and tribulations, her singular efforts and the efforts of others have been met with enthusiasm from in-country healthcare providers and have served as a catalyst to make a significant difference in the delivery of cancer care in these two countries.
Lastly, Silvia C. Formenti, MD, the Chair of Radiation Oncology at Weill Cornell Medical College and Radiation Oncologist-in-Chief at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, emphasized the enormous disparities in the delivery of healthcare and the importance of ICEC and other similar efforts and organizations to succeed. Stressing that while many people recognize the urgency to transform the delivery of global cancer care, the many small effective programs that currently exist do so in numbers far below the scope required. The ICEC is well positioned to expand and pair its mentoring network of expert healthcare providers with global partners to make immediate significant measured improvements in cancer care.
October 5, 2016, Reception – Organizations Represented
Cancer Africa
Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB)
Columbia University
Duke Cancer Institute
Glenmede
Harvard School of Medicine
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
International Organization of Medical Physics
Massachusetts General Hospital
Harvard Medical School
Medical College of Wisconsin
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
MIT
Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center
Mount Sinai Hospital
NCI Radiation Research Program
New York-Presbyterian/Queens
Nuclear Threat Initiative
NYU School of Medicine, NYU Langone Medical Center Perlmutter Cancer Center
Pace University
Pfizer
Seaton Hall University
Starr Foundation
Strategic Visions in Healthcare
United Nations Coordination Division
United Office for Disarmament Affairs
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
VIA Global Studio
Weill Cornell Medical College
ICEC hosted first in a series of receptions: “Partnering to Transform Global Cancer Care”
/in Latest NewsICEC Board of Directors From left to right: Norm Coleman, Harmar Brereton, Monique Mansoura, David Kramer, Donna O’Brien, David Pistenmaa, Larry Roth, Nina Wendling, Richard Slowinski (Baker & McKenzie) and Barry Alperin. Missing: Bhadrasain Vikram, Nelson Chao, Daniel Petereit, Tim Williams and Silvia Formenti
On June 1, 2016, the International Cancer Expert Corps Board of Directors hosted the first in a series of receptions, “Partnering to Transform Global Cancer Care” at the law offices of Baker & McKenzie, LLP in Washington, DC. The purpose of the event series is to introduce the efforts of the organization to friends and colleagues in the corporate, scientific, governmental and philanthropic communities. The venue, perched just above Lafayette Park overlooking the White House, the Washington Monument, and the Jefferson Memorial, served as an idyllic setting for the ICEC’s first of several introductory gatherings.
This well-attended event, made possible through the generous support of Baker &McKenzie, LLP and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Ontario, attracted a broad range of individuals. Attendees included representatives from the Alberta First Nations Information Governance Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital- Taiwan (CGMH), Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH), National Nuclear Security Administration, National Cancer Institute (NCI) and many others. Many of the organizations represented at the reception are listed below. The evening was highlighted by a short program which included overviews of several programs focused on global health. Keith Martin, MD, the Executive Director of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) reflected on the importance of collaborations in efforts to make substantive improvements in global health initiatives. The CUGH is located in Washington, DC and is a stalwart supporter of the ICEC.
Daniel G. Petereit, MD, of the John Vucurevich Cancer Care Institute at the Rapid City Regional Hospital in South Dakota, shared his experiences as the Principal Investigator of the community-based participatory research program, “Walking Forward” in western South Dakota. The program is funded by the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) and lauded as an exemplary program proving that high-quality mentoring networks do improve both access to, and the quality of care delivered to indigenous populations in underserved areas.
Lastly, Dr. Surbhi Grover, MD, MPH, one of ICEC’s Early Career Leaders and an Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the principle lead for the Botswana-UPENN partnership, highlighted many of the successes and challenges she has faced while developing an oncology program in Gaborone, Botswana. Though she has experienced many trials and tribulations, her efforts and the efforts of others have served as a catalyst to make a significant difference in the delivery of cancer care in Sub-Saharan Africa.
ICEC will host the next reception in October 2016 in New York City. Details will be posted on the ICEC website. To attend or to sponsor an upcoming event, or for more information on the 2016 ICEC Partnering to Transform Global Cancer Care reception schedule, please contact ICEC at development@iceccancer.org.
June 1, 2016, Reception – Organizations Represented
Alberta First Nations Information Governance Centre (AFNIGC)
American Cancer Society
American Indian “Walking Forward” Program
Anne Arundel Medical Center
Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington
Baker & McKenzie, LLP
Bethesda Systems
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital- Taiwan (CGMH)
Consortium of Universities for Global Health
Dana-Farber Global Cancer Medicine
Dartmouth Medical School
Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration
Duke University
Hughes Network Systems
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Johns Hopkins SOM
Medical College of Wisconsin
Metro State University of Denver
National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
National Cancer Institute, Radiation Research Program
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
SBK Partnership, LLC
Seqirus
Strategic Visions in Healthcare, LLC
The Commonwealth Medical School
University of Maryland Baltimore Campus
University of Pennsylvania
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