Prof. Mark Lawler, Project Lead European Cancer Concord-ECC, Chair in Translational Cancer Genomics and Associate Director of Graduate Studies at the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology at Queen’s University, Belfast, Ireland, will be a keynote speaker at the international conference «Shaping a healthier Nation, Shaping a healthier Europe» that will take place in Athens, Greece on March 27, 2014.
This is the 4th venue of the annual conference, organized by the Financial Times, in collaboration with the Greek Society of Health Care Services Management and Boussias Communications, in collaboration with the daily newsletter Health Daily.
Prof. Mark Lawler will present in Athens the European Cancer Concord-ECC, a patient-centered initiative, born out of the need to deliver an optimal standard of cancer care and research for Europe’s citizens. ECC was formed 2 years ago under the stewardship of the Society for Translational Oncology (STO). ECC involves patient advocacy and oncology leaders from 17 European countries, who have come together in a unique partnership to address the inequalities in cancer care and research and to help develop effective solutions for European citizens and societies. To date, over 20 European and pan-European cancer patient advocacy organizations have become active partners in ECC, representing over 1,000 national organizations and many millions of cancer patients and survivors in Europe.
The focus of Prof. Lawler’s keynote will be the European Bill of Cancer Patient’s Rights, launched together with the ECPC in the European Parliament on World Cancer Day. The Bill focuses on the unequal nature of cancer care in Europe, provides an opportunity to engage and influence political representatives and most crucially empowers every European citizen to use the Bill of Rights as a catalyst to achieve effective change in cancer care delivery in his/her own country/region.