News Release:
International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) – European community comes together to contribute to Childhood Cancer Survivorship
Brussels, 15 February – International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) 2023 was marked by the 13th edition of SIOP Europe’s flagship policy event in partnership with CCI Europe. Hosted by Member of the European Parliament Cindy Franssen (EPP, Belgium), the meeting brought together over 100 participants to address childhood cancer survivorship - a key dimension of the patient journey and an important focus area of European Union cancer policies.
ICCD 2023 featured childhood cancer advocates, professionals, policy-makers, industry and regulators. Discussions emphasised the importance of coordinated implementation of EU projects and commitments stemming from Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the European Parliament Resolution on Strengthening Europe in the fight against cancer (BECA), and the EU Mission on Cancer with its recent Conference on Young Cancer Survivors.
The key messages were:
- Multi-stakeholder cooperation across Europe is critical for effective implementation of the EU initiatives towards better health, well-being and quality of life for childhood cancer survivors and their families
- It is imperative to address the inequalities in access to childhood cancer survivorship care across Europe
- Long-term outcomes research should be integrated into clinical trials and the prospective monitoring of therapies
- Survivors and advocates are mobilised to build on their central role, mutual collaboration with professionals and researchers is indispensable, and policy makers are ready to continue working closely with the community to make further progress
Carmelo Rizzari, SIOP Europe President, said: “By 2030, there will be around 750,00 paediatric cancer survivors in Europe. It is critical for their long-term well-being to ensure quality of survivorship and address the side effects of cancer treatment. Close multi-stakeholder cooperation creates a unique opportunity to establish a sustainable strategy on survivorship care.”
Nicole Scobie, Committee Member and Patient Advocate, CCI Europe, said: “As the parent of a survivor of childhood cancer, I know the crucial role research plays in overseeing the late effects that are so frequently the result of treatments. Knowledge about long term side effects is essential, not only for the survivors of today, but also to inform treatment decisions for the children of tomorrow.”
Cindy Franssen MEP (EPP, Belgium), said: “The BECA Resolution really sets out the way forward, together with your ideas and remarks today. Children, adolescents and young adults need age-specific care, more investment in scientific research - specifically on childhood cancers - and easier cross-border clinical trials, which will give us new and better treatments. We need to work together with patients, families and healthcare providers and we need to foster political will to make the goals on the European agenda a reality.”
ENDS
- For further inquiries, please, contact: office@siope.eu / +32 2 880 62 82
- Event recording and further information are available on the event website
- Photos from the conference will be available shortly.
Notes:
There are an estimated 500,000 childhood cancer survivors in Europe and this figure is expected to rise to 750,000 by 2030. Two out of three childhood cancer survivors experience adverse late-occurring complications with considerable impact on their daily lives and participation in society. SIOP Europe and CCI Europe have actively been working to address these issues with the support of targeted EU projects and policy initiatives.
ABOUT THE CO-ORGANISERS
The European Society for Paediatric Oncology (SIOP Europe or SIOPE) is the only pan-European organisation representing all professionals working in the field of childhood cancers. With more than 2,300 members across 35 countries, SIOP Europe is leading the way to ensure the best possible care and outcomes for all children and adolescents with cancer in Europe. www.siope.eu
Representing childhood cancer professionals, SIOP Europe is working in Memorandum-based partnership with European organisations of parents, patients and survivorship community:
Childhood Cancer International – Europe (CCI Europe, or CCI-E) represents childhood cancer parents’ and survivors’ groups as well as other childhood cancer organisations in Europe: 63 organisations in 34 European countries are members of CCI. CCI Europe works together with all relevant stakeholders for the same aim, namely to help children and adolescents with cancer to be cured, with no – or as few as possible – long term health problems/late effects. www.ccieurope.eu