The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and Pfizer Oncology have announced the names of the organisations taking part in the second phase of the Seeding Progress and Resources for the Cancer Community: Metastatic Breast Cancer Challenge (SPARC MBC Challenge). The 20 organisations from 19 countries that have been selected will receive grants amounting to US$500,000 in funding provided by Pfizer to implement projects addressing the specific needs of women with metastatic breast cancer worldwide. Building on the success of the first phase of the SPARC MBC Challenge, this year's awardees will have the opportunity to benefit from mentorship and best practice sharing from the organisations awarded previously.
The call for applications generated significant interest with 83 submissions from organisations in 42 countries, an increase over the initial phase. Awardees were selected through a competitive application process overseen by an external, multidisciplinary selection committee formed by UICC and chaired by Dr Fatima Cardoso, director of the Breast Unit of the Champalimaud Cancer Center in Lisbon, Portugal.
Each awardee will receive a grant to initiate projects to close the gap in information, support, awareness and policy between metastatic breast cancer and early disease, as well as help reduce the number of women diagnosed at the metastatic stage of breast cancer. In welcoming the expansion of this successful initiative, UICC President Professor Sanchia Aranda remarked: "There is an urgent need for greater access to comprehensive breast cancer services and support for women living with metastatic breast cancer, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where the majority of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease. We are glad to support cancer organisations across the globe in initiating and developing projects that will have a real impact in their own settings."
The announcement to continue and further expand the initiative coincided with International Women’s Day 2017. In addition to the US$500,000 awarded to these 20 organisations, Pfizer Oncology is providing a further US$30,000 to support the continuation of selected ongoing SPARC projects from the first round of grants issued in 2015. This brings Pfizer’s total funding of the initiative to more than US$1.3 Million.
"We're pleased to continue our partnership with UICC on this initiative that embodies our commitment to the hundreds of thousands of women worldwide who face the challenges of metastatic breast cancer every day," said Liz Barrett, global president and general manager, Pfizer Oncology. "We believe collaborations like the SPARC MBC Challenge represent an important step toward improving care for people living with metastatic breast cancer around the world, including those in low- and middle-income countries who may not have access to the care and support they need."
Awardees include advocacy groups, hospital networks, support groups and other cancer organisations. Among them is ICANSERVE Foundation in Pasig City, Philippines, whose project will serve to train patient navigators in cities that don't have any as well as strengthen their role in cities that do, and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana, looking at building a community-based structured patient network, navigation and breast health awareness programmes.
Additional organisations to receive grants include:
Public Organization "Avesto" (NGO), Dushanbe, Tajikistan
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Fundación Cáncer-Fuca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Europa Donna Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
Canadian Breast Cancer Network, Ottawa, Canada
McGrath Foundation, St. Leonards, Australia
Caribbean Cancer Research Initiative, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
Cancer Patients Aid Association, Mumbai, India
Societatea Romana de Cancer (Romanian Cancer Society), Cluj Napoca, Romania
Hellenic Association of Women with Breast Cancer "Alma Zois", Athens, Greece
Clinique medical Cama...
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