Shaikha Jawaher calls for global cooperation against cancer

Sharjah - "Children with cancer need our support to give them hope for recovery and a chance to lead a normal life."

Her Highness Shaikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness Shaikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, Founder and Royal Patron of the Friends of Cancer Patients Society (FoCP), the 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 prioritizing 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 Her Highness Shaikha 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 organizations 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.
Shaikha Jawaher underlined the importance of setting up joint global centres for cancer research and a network of cooperation between non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil societies to implement national cancer control programmes.
She also highlighted the spiraling 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," added Her Highness.
"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," added Shaikha Jawaher.
Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher referred to the landmark achievements made by health institutions that provide treatment for cancer patients through donations from organizations 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.
Shaikha Jawaher added 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.
"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, organizations, 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."

• Sharjah