EUROPA DONNA - The European Breast Cancer Coalition, an EPHA member, has issued a press release (see below) on its involvement in the European Forum Alpbach, Austria 2005.
The European Forum Alpbach brings together decision-makers and researchers from various fields to discuss current issues related to the future of Europe.
During this year’s event EUROPA DONNA’s Executive Director, Susan Knox, held a presentation entitled ’European Health Care: Patients’ needs and the Advocate’s role’. She outlined the needs and wants of breast cancer patients and urged health ministers and policy-makers to act on and implement the European Parliament’s Breast Cancer Resolution passed in June 2003.
Advocating for equal access to the best breast services available regardless of background and income, Ms Knox, reiterated that there is still a long way to go to acheive this goal. Considering that almost 88.000 women in the EU-25 die of the disease every year and 270.000 are newly diagnosed annually it is important to provide good screening services and treatment facilities. Currently only 12 out of the 25 EU Member States have rolled out or are in the process of rolling out screening service programmes.
For more information on the breast cancer resolution, guidelines and country statistics please see the European Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer website, which was launched with the help of EUROPA DONNA last year.
