CCCL UK Director Leads The Region Focus Dialog on CSOS Struggles

A total of 56 NGO representatives attended the virtual event that also witnessed the participation of Her Royal Highness Princess Dina Mired, UICC Immediate Past President and an exemplary advocate of regional and global cancer control, who brought so much value, inspiration, and opportunities to our region. The dialogue revolved around the important role of CSOs in cancer control in the region and several inspiring examples were shared and reconnections made.

 

In her opening speech, Mrs. Chaar acknowledged the many challenges 2020 posed on the cancer community in our region, but also highlighted how these challenges led us to prioritize properly:

Safeguarding staff and healthcare workers

Our digital transformation

Innovation in service delivery and fundraising

Networking and partnerships across different sectors and countries

 

She continued that, today, we are still uncovering the effects of the pandemic, especially on cancer control: from late cancer presentations (diagnoses) to fundraising strains in our region.

 

“With the help of our international supporters and diaspora, our role as civil society is crucial in closing the gaps, strengthening the networks, and ensuring that cancer control remains a priority in our region,” she highlighted.

 

The services and opportunities presented by the UICC are truly great and this helps us drive impactful action towards ensuring cancer control remains a priority, and uncovering opportunities for networking and development.

 

“I say this, not only as a UICC Board member today, but mostly from my experience as the General Manager of the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL) which has been a UICC member for the past 5 years.

 

And through our commitment to this membership, we leveraged our role in childhood cancer control and grew our network and capacities”.

 

It is through continuous involvement in UICC and dialogues such as the one lead by Mrs. Hana that our team at the CCCL were inspired, and what started as a simple awareness session on HPV and cervical cancer has now developed into the CCCL HPV Vaccine Program which we just launched on World Health Day April 7th providing awareness, access, and coverage of the HPV vaccine to children in Lebanon.

 

With plans and action just starting for the elimination of cervical cancer globally, the CCCL HPV Vaccine Program is now the starting point for national action, and could be a great opportunity for us to collaborate and partner across countries. It may become a starting point of network that will allow expanding with people and organizations around each other especially in this pandemic facing the world and every CSO. In addition, with the digital transformation, the online presence of attendees to conferences and events increased drastically which eases the networking between organizations and supporters.

 

In closing, Mrs. Chaar ended the meeting with encouragement words to participants: “despite all socio-economic and political challenges in the region and the fast spread of the pandemic worldwide, I thank all of you for managing to share with us all the great ideas and work you are doing in your countries. The pride of succeeding will remain the focal driving force of our region and innovation will be the motivation behind all solutions and efforts. As the sole representative in EMR region in the UICC Board and the General Manager of the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL), we’ll continue encouraging and discussing with all of you for a joint declaration and an action plan to continue to improve the lives and the journey of cancer patients in the region.” On behalf of all the CSOs of this region, Mrs. Chaar thanked the UICC board, staff and management for always initiating those meetings and for the ongoing future activities and plans for the members such as the World Cancer Leaders Summit.