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388881
Wed, 11/25/2015 - 07:35
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Jawaher Al Qasimi calls for global cooperation in the fight against cancer during the World Cancer Leaders' Summit

SHARJAH, 25th November 2015 (WAM) --- Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Founder and Royal Patron of the Friends of Cancer Patients Society (FoCP), International Ambassador of the World Cancer Declaration for Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), and International Ambassador for Childhood Cancer for UICC, has called for prioritising and intensifying scientific research and data sharing about cancer between government and civil organisations worldwide to enhance the role of public health programmes in cancer prevention and early detection. The call was made by Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi during her participation in the World Cancer Leaders' Summit, which recently concluded in Istanbul, Turkey, where she highlighted the need to set priorities for cancer research and strengthen cooperation between government and civil organisations and the importance of collaboration across country borders, across diseases and through public and private partnerships. The summit focused on the basic needs of healthcare for cancer patients and providing the necessary data for cancer control, highlighting successful examples of national cancer control planning and cross-diseases interventions, as well as issues related to the management of conflict of interest, data sharing and international policy development. It also discussed the role of charity organisations in supporting health and social care provided to cancer patients, as well as challenges facing patients, with a focus on support services including Neuropsychology, nursing and social services. The summit also discussed the best methods of integrated care by following the example of countries leading in this field. Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi underlined the importance of setting up joint global centres for cancer research and a network of cooperation between non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil societies to implement national cancer control programmes. She highlighted the spiralling global cancer epidemic and pointed out the growing financial and psychological burden and losses caused by cancer deaths. "It would therefore be better for governments, NGOs and individuals to invest in joint international cancer research studies to save lives and protect communities from the emotional and financial consequences of cancer," said Sheikha Jawaher. "Cancer prevention and control programmes must be given top priority. Cancer takes a huge humanitarian toll, and is a considerable burden as cancer rates are on the rise globally. There needs to be a clear vision for action and identification of responsibilities for each party, and a need to keep pace with the global and regional developments in this field. This is vital to develop concrete action plans that would provide the necessary information to all stakeholders around the world to further contribute to the early detection of cancer and reduce its negative consequences. There is also a need to strengthen the relationship between all stakeholders in order to implement awareness programmes, provide quality palliative care, support skills development and enhance scientific research," Sheikha Jawaher said. She referred to the landmark achievements made by health institutions that provide treatment for cancer patients through donations from organisations and individuals and called on civil society to support organisations fighting cancer so they can offer free treatment and psychological care to cancer patients, along with awareness programs. The summit also focused on the care of children with cancer, including the importance of ensuring a good quality of life for them throughout the various stages of their illness and treatment, and the need to provide different kinds of support according to the age of each child. Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi said that the International Childhood Cancer Fund, the first of its kind in the world which she launched in May in collaboration with the UICC, is to start raising global awareness to support children with cancer worldwide. Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi further said, "Children with cancer need our support to give them hope for recovery and a chance to lead a normal life. We must put childhood cancer on the development agenda to enable global organisations, in cooperation with local governments, to offer better diagnosis and treatment for children with cancer. I call on all the stakeholders and those who will benefit from the fund to use it as an international incubator in order to collect donations from states, organisations, institutions and individuals. This can then be invested in research studies, awareness campaigns, and strengthening capacity for care, treatment and funding of emergency relief projects for the treatment of children with cancer." Sheikha Jawaher attended a workshop during the summit, titled, "Integration of Childhood Cancer into Child Health and primary care services". The workshop discussed the progress achieved in the area of child leukaemia and treatment of infections caused by immune deficiency resulting from treatment. The workshop included a presentation on the latest developments on how to choose the most appropriate treatment for each child according to his genetics. The event was attended by Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais, UAE Minister of Health, Mehmet Muezzinoglu, Turkish Health Minister, Francis Contreras, Deputy Minister of Health in Honduras, HRH Princess Dina Mired, Director General, King Hussein Cancer Foundation, Dr Cary Adams, CEO Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), and Past Chair, NCD Alliance Steering Group, Ameera BinKaram, President of the Board of Directors, Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP), Sir George Alleyne, Director Emeritus, and Dr Sawsan Al Madhi, Director General of FoCP as well as a large number of health officials and experts in the health and non-communicable diseases from all around the world. – Emirates News Agency, WAM -http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395288428809.html

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