First Coalition Connection event sees publication of report showing devastating impact of COVID-19 on cancer organisations
On 4th February 2021, the Global Cancer Coalitions Network (GCCN) held its first Coalition Connection event. Coinciding with World Cancer Day, this interactive session explored the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the global cancer community.
Formed in the wake of COVID-19, the Global Cancer Coalitions Network (GCCN) is a collaboration of nine global cancer coalitions and alliances (including the International Brain Tumour Alliance – IBTA), representing 750 patient organisations working on behalf of 14 million cancer patients around the world.
GCCN member organisations are:
- ABC Global Alliance
- Global Colon Cancer Association
- Global Lung Cancer Coalition
- International Brain Tumour Alliance
- International Kidney Cancer Coalition
- Lymphoma Coalition
- World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition
- World Ovarian Cancer Coalition
- World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition
The virtual event featured a combination of panel discussions and keynote speakers, including Anita Granero, founder and President of Oscar’s Angels, one of the IBTA’s supporting organisations and an IBTA senior advisor. The event saw the release of the report: COVID-19: Impact on Cancer Patient Organisations Worldwide in 2020. It highlights the findings of a survey of member organisations jointly undertaken by six global cancer coalitions in December 2020. Data shows how cancer patient organisations have been affected by the pandemic and the report stresses the perilous position that many such cancer not-for-profits and charities now find themselves in, highlighting the need for emergency funding to avoid a devastating increase in cancer patients’ unmet needs worldwide. The report also incorporates results from the IBTA’s international survey: ‘The brain tumour not-for-profit and charity experience of COVID-19: reacting and adjusting to an unprecedented global pandemic in the 21st century’, the full findings of which are published in the journal Neuro-Oncology Advances.
A video of the event can now be viewed online here
