Psycho-Oncology News from around the World

Abstract Submission Open for the 16th International Conference on Cancer Nursing (ICCN)

The International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC) is pleased to announce that its 16th International Conference on Cancer Nursing (ICCN), the premier international educational opportunity for cancer nurses, will be held in the vibrant city of Atlanta, Georgia, USA, from Sunday, 7 March – Thursday, 11 March 2010. The theme of the 16th ICCN will be "Enhancing Knowledge, Promoting Quality".

ISNCC, officially formed in 1984, is the international voice of oncology nursing, dedicated to the protection and preservation of health and the relief of cancer-related sickness through the provision of education, research, and international networking opportunities among cancer nursing groups and individuals. ISNCC is the only federation of national cancer nursing societies, oncology institutions and individual cancer nursing professionals. With over 60 member groups, representing 42 countries, ISNCC represents over 80,000 cancer nursing professionals globally. ISNCC is a non-governmental member of the World Health Organization, United Nations, International Union Against Cancer, and the International Council of Nurses.

Abstract Submission
ISNCC invites you to submit an abstract for presentation at the 16th ICCN. Abstracts about Leadership/Administration, Research or Education topics/projects in the field of oncology nursing are invited to be considered. Abstracts can be submitted online. The submission deadline is 3 July 2009.

Registration
Save up to $200 by registering before 30 October 2009. Online registration is available on the ICCN website.

For further information on the 16th ICCN, please visit the ICCN website or contact the ISNCC Secretariat at +1.604.630.5516 or info@isncc.org.

Access to Pain Treatment as a Human Right (from the Human Rights Watch)

The Human Rights Watch has published a 47-page report entitled, "Please, do not make us suffer any more..." Access to Pain Treatment as a Human Right. The report states that countries could significantly improve access to pain medications by addressing the causes of their poor availability. These often include the failure to put in place functioning supply and distribution systems; absence of government policies to ensure their availability; insufficient instruction for healthcare workers; excessively strict drug-control regulations; and fear of legal sanctions among healthcare workers. The report's website hosts PDF versions of the report and recommendations in English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Sign the UICC World Cancer Declaration

IPOS has signed the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) World Cancer Declaration, a global plan in the fight against cancer that, if implemented, will help to save lives and make a difference. The World Cancer Declaration 2008 was developed by UICC, adopted by the World Cancer Summit 2008, and endorsed by the World Cancer Congress 2008. To sign the declaration as an individual or an organization, please visit the World Cancer Declaration website. To read the World Cancer Declaration 2008, please click here.

Announcement of Funding Opportunity: Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation cancer grants program for Central and Eastern Europe

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation has created a new grants program to address disparities in cancer outcomes in Central and Eastern Europe. The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is a U.S. based independent charity committed to reducing health disparities around the world. In Europe and Eurasia, the Foundation is focused on addressing cancer disparities and has announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for projects in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Russia. Eligible organizations are non-governmental organizations (cancer societies, patient groups, professional associations) and academic organizations. The Foundation will award a total of 5 two-year grants of up to $150,000 USD to support innovative and sustainable projects that address and/or improve cancer prevention, screening, disease education, and medical care of underserved populations. Of particular interest to the Foundation are operational research and interventions addressing: 1) training lay and professional health care providers and 2) developing community-based care and support to patients that drive gains in patient health outcomes and quality of life. The deadline for submissions of proposals which must be prepared in English is June 15, 2009. Please review the English version of the basic announcement and the RFP for more details on selection criteria, eligibility, submission requirements and process, and contact information. The RFP is also available in the 5 target country languages on our website: http://www.bms.com/foundation/Pages/cancer_rfp.aspx. Please also review a fact sheet on the Foundation's current grants and partnerships.

Obituary
Prof. Dr. Margit von Kerekjarto

Prof. Dr. Margit von Kerekjarto, University of Hamburg, Germany, professor emeritus of medical psychology, passed away on March 5, 2009, in Hamburg after a long period of severe illness.

Professor von Kerekjarto was born in Szeged, Hungaria. She grew up in Budapest and received education and training in psychology, biology, medicine, and pharmacology at the University of Budapest. In 1958, she came to Germany, where she graduated with a Master’s Degree in Psychology at the University of Hamburg. In 1961, Professor von Kerekjarto completed her Ph.D. on multiple sclerosis.

She continued her academic career at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Hamburg. In 1961, she sustained her work and research at the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine within the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. Professor von Kerekjarto served as director of the Department of Medical Psychology at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf between 1975 and 1990 as the first female chair of Medical Psychology in Germany. During the seventies and eighties, she established one of the most recognized Departments for Medical Psychology in Germany. Under the auspices of Prof von Kerekjarto, the first curriculum of medical psychology was developed, which had a strong and long-lasting influence on the structure and implementation of medical training in Germany.

With her excellent research scientific background and particular research and clinical focus on psycho-oncology, she raised numerous funded research projects about psychosocial support for cancer patients and the role of the family in cancer care. Her name is closely connected with the development of psycho-oncology in Germany. Further research priorities of Prof. von Kerekjarto included the psychotherapeutic support and rehabilitation for patients with chronic psychosomatic illness. She retired from teaching in 1990, but continued her research, writing, publication, and service activities.

Prof. von Kerekjarto’s inspiring career in the field of medical psychology and psycho-oncology brought her worldwide recognition. She was invited as a guest lecturer at Harvard Medical School, at Columbia University, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and at the University of California. She was honoured by becoming a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Prof. von Kerekjarto was president of the German Society of Medical Psychology. She was founding member and member of the scientific board of the European Psycho-oncological Society. She was founding member and president of International Psycho-Oncology Society as well as the recipient of the Arthur M. Sutherland Award in 1991.

Prof. von Kerekjarto possessed a special gift, the ability to fascinate people with her visions, ideas and her words. She was able to inspire people, and to tie them into common goals. In her work for psycho-oncology she made highly constructive use of this gift to the benefit of her students, colleagues and friends. We owe her a lot.

Uwe Koch PhD, MD; Hamburg, 16 March 2009

IPOS congratulates its 2009 Award recipients! See the Awards Information page for more information.

Global Metastatic Breast Cancer Advocacy Working Group Consensus Report Now Available
The global Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Advocacy Working Group Consensus Report is a call-to-action for breast cancer stakeholders to address the unique information and support needs of women living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The consensus encourages other advocacy groups, healthcare corporations and professionals, government, academia, community/religious organizations, and all other relevant breast cancer stakeholders worldwide to take action on behalf of women living with MBC. The consensus was issued by the MBC Advocacy Working Group, a cooperative of global patient advocates dedicated to increasing collaboration to heighten public attention and address the unique needs of women living with MBC.

The global MBC Consensus Report prioritizes the following three areas for immediate action:

• Improve access to tailored information, resources and support for women with MBC.
• Heighten attention to the MBC community – create a unified voice and platform that speaks to their unique needs.
• Increase understanding of and access to clinical trials.

The MBC Advocacy Working Group and Consensus Report were established with sponsorship from Pfizer Oncology. Read the global MBC Advocacy Working Group Consensus Report.

European Cancer Specialists Mandate for Change: Better Emotional Support and Resources for Lung Cancer Patients

Berlin, Germany, 24 November 2008.
A coalition of European cancer specialists today called for major changes in the provision of emotional support for lung cancer patients. In conjunction with the International Psycho-Oncology Society, they issued a Mandate for Change, highlighting basic rights for patients in terms of their emotional wellbeing and quality of life. Read more...

IPOS Gives Extra Congress Bags to African Students
After the IPOS 9th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology in 2007 in London, UK, there were approximately seventy-five Congress bags that had not been used by delegates. Janis Homewood, a colleague of Congress Chair Maggie Watson, was planning a trip to Africa with the Salvation Army and volunteered to carry the bags for distribution at a local school. The students were very excited about their new bags, and we hope that some of the students will pursue careers to bring them to future IPOS Congresses!

20th World Congress of Psychosomatic Medicine
Organized by the International College of Psychosomatic Medicine ICPM the 20th World Congress of Psychosomatic Medicine will be held in Turin, Italy, September 23-26, 2009. The Congress will consist of lectures that update significant topics in psychosomatic medicine, symposia, interactive clinical cases onferences, workshops, and poster sessions. It is a unique opportunity to venture off the beaten path of exclusive reliance on biomedicine as the only approach to health care and to broaden clinical perspectives. For more information visit www.icpm2009.com or see the congress flyer for details.

UICC Announces its 2008 Congress Website! The International Union against Cancer is happy to inform you that the official website for its 2008 Congress, scheduled for 27 - 31 August 2008 in Geneva, Switzerland, has been activated and can be visited at the following address: www.uicc-congress08.org. Preliminary information about the congress programme, registration, exhibition, sponsorship and scholarships is available. Participants will be able to register for the congress and make their hotel reservations online from September 2007 onward. The abstract submission procedure will be open from
1 December 2007 to 28 March 2008.

ISBM and JSBM Announce the 10th International Congress on Behavioural Medicine, 27 - 30 August 2008 in Tokyo, Japan. For more information and to submit an abstract, visit the Congress website at www.icbm2008.jp.

International Union Against Cancer Launches New Companion Website
The International Union Against Cancer recently launched a companion website, The Global Cancer Control Community, an online community for health care professionals and researchers working in the area of cancer prevention and control.

IPOS and ESO Release Additional Online Lectures!
IPOS and the European School of Oncology (ESO) are proud to announce that additional lectures have now been added to the online Multilingual Core Curriculum in Psycho-Oncology. The new topics include family, bereavement, palliative care and ethics. All four new lectures are currently only available in English, but translated versions will be posted in the near future. See the IPOS Online Education web page for further details!

INSPIRE booklets are now available!
Coping with Lung Cancer: Emotional Support and Help
For Patients
For Caregivers
A Physicians Guide

IPOS and Roche Partner to INSPIRE Awareness of Psycho-Oncology
IPOS is pleased to announce its partnership with Hoffmann-La Roche to help raise awareness globally of the value and benefits of psycho-oncology. Today, IPOS and Roche have announced their first joint global initiative, INSPIRE – a new program to help lung cancer patients and their caregivers to better manage their disease and improve their quality of life. More information is provided in this
press release.

Online 2008 Membership Renewal is available NOW! 
To renew your membership dues online, you must log into the IPOS Members-Only website.  If you have lost or forgotten your login information, please contact IPOS Headquarters at info@ipos-society.org.  Online renewals can be submitted using Visa, Master Card or American Express and are processed securely through Authorize.Net.  If you prefer to pay your dues via check or if you simply do not wish to renew online, please contact IPOS Headquarters at info@ipos-society.org to receive a PDF dues invoice via e-mail. All 2007 IPOS members who have not paid their 2008 membership dues by 31 December 2007 will be sent a hard copy dues invoice via first-class mail.

IPOS invites bids on the location of future World Congresses! See the Meetings page for more information.

UICC announces a Global Call to Stop Cervical Cancer. Read more...

Online Psycho-Oncology Lectures Now Available in JAPANESE
IPOS is now hosting several psycho-oncology online lectures in Japanese. The translated lectures are a combination of offerings from the IPOS/ESO Core Curriculum of Psycho-Oncology and webcasts taken from the library of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS). IPOS is currently featuring webcasts translated into Japanese with the generous support of GlaxoSmithKline Japan and the Japan Psycho-Oncology Society. To view webcasts in Japanese, click here.