OSF Public Health Program Seminar Series
Patient Advocacy Seminar for Palliative Care in Cancer Care
June 29-30, 2009
Budapest, Hungary
IPCI
Hosted by the American Cancer Society and the International Palliative Care Initiative of the Open Society Institute
The Patient Advocacy Seminar brought together country delegations from Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine to discuss ways of improving the ability of patients and civil society organizations to advocate for effective palliative care policies in cancer care and to support those efforts to integrate palliative care into international healthcare policies. Each delegation presented on the current state of pain and palliative care polices and national cancer plans in their country as well as the efforts of patient advocacy groups on these issues. Presentations focused on advocacy and communications strategies as a way to facilitate the exchange of ideas and strengthen collaboration around issues of patient advocacy, palliative care and cancer.