P R E S S   R E L E A S E

 

 

6th Expanding Circles 2016 Annual Conference of the International Kidney Cancer Coalition (IKCC): Dr. Michael Jewett elected to Board of Directors

 

The International Kidney Cancer Coalition (IKCC) completed its 6th Expanding Circles 2016 Annual Conference from April 14th-16th, 2016 in Chantilly, France and announces
Dr. Michael Jewett as new member of the Board of Directors.

 

Amsterdam/The Netherlands, April 18, 2016

The International Kidney Cancer Coalition (IKCC) held its “6th Expanding Circles 2016 Annual Conference – the International Conference for Organisations Representing Patients with Kidney Cancer” from April 14th-16th, 2016 in Chantilly, France. During the Annual General Meeting of the Coalition, Dr. Michael Jewett, an internationally recognized expert in kidney cancer from Canada, was elected to the IKCC Board of Directors.

 

Dr. Jewett is Professor of Surgery (Urology) at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and at the University of Toronto where he holds the Farquaharson Clinical Research Chair in Oncology. He is a member and has served in leadership roles and received awards from many cancer and urological associations including the International Society of Urology, the Society of Urologic Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Urological Association and the Canadian Urology Association. He has been a visiting professor or speaker in over 30 countries at over 100 institutions. He has held multiple research grants and has published more than 400 scientific papers, book chapters and articles. He has had a long interest in many aspects of kidney cancer research, patient care and knowledge transfer and was an enthusiastic supporter of the founding of Kidney Cancer Canada. He also was the founding and immediate past-Chair of the Kidney Cancer Research Network of Canada. “I am delighted and honoured to join the IKCC, a truly global organization in kidney cancer that connects patient groups and healthcare professionals worldwide”, said Dr. Jewett. “In my opinion, it is very important to collaborate across disciplines, across borders, and in collaboration with patients, carers, and patient organisations worldwide. This is especially important with a disease like kidney cancer for which treatment approaches are evolving rapidly. As a Board Director, I am very much looking forward to playing a role in the growth and development of the IKCC as a global voice for kidney cancer”.

 

The 6th International Kidney Cancer Coalition Conference for organizations representing kidney cancer patients was attended by 50 kidney cancer advocates from 25 countries from six continents. Throughout the three-day meeting patient advocates learned about latest developments in kidney cancer care, discussed active patient involvement and shared experiences with national healthcare policies. They also worked together to identify issues for kidney cancer patient organizations worldwide and discussed opportunities for global collaboration to raise awareness and improve patient outcomes.

 

“These meetings always show that no matter where we come from and what background we have – patient, relative, doctor, nurse – we all have the same objective: to improve the lives of kidney cancer patients wherever they live”, summarizes Dr. Rachel Giles, Board Chair and patient advocate from Dutch VHL Organization and founding member. “I am very glad to welcome Dr. Jewett to our international Board of Directors. With him joining, we have strengthened our global medical outreach and have added a great personality who is willing to put his heart and soul in our mission and objectives.”

 

 


Media Contacts

Dr. Rachel Giles – English/Dutch

(Belangenvereniging Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL), The Netherlands)

Staff, Internal Medicine

Dept. Nephrology and Hypertension

University Medical Center Utrecht

The Netherlands

Chair of the IKCC-Board                   r.giles@umcutrecht.nl

————————————————————————————————–

Deborah Maskens – English

(Kidney Cancer Canada)

Vice Chair of the IKCC Board               debmaskens@kidneycancercanada.ca

————————————————————————————————–

Markus Wartenberg – German/English

(Das Wissenshaus GmbH – Institute of Oncology, Germany)

Advisor to the IKCC Board                ikcc@daswissenshaus.de

 

Central Phone Number

IKCC UK (Mobile) +44 (0) 7973 777 202


B A C K G R O U N D E R

 

About KIDNEY CANCER

Kidney cancer is diagnosed in over 300,000 people worldwide every year. It is the 12th most common cancer in the world, with approximately the same incidence as pancreatic cancer. Fewer than 1 in 20 people diagnosed with cancer have kidney cancer, meaning that it is quite a rare disease. When detected early, kidney cancer patients have very favourable survival outcomes. However, up to one third of kidney cancer patients are diagnosed at the advanced stage. There is no known cure for advanced kidney cancer although treatments can extend survival for many patients. Further research and new treatments are needed.

 

About IKCC

The International Kidney Cancer Coalition (IKCC), a registered foundation based in The Netherlands. The IKCC is an independent, democratic and patient-centred network comprising over 20 Affiliate Organisations from around the world. The organization was born from a very strong desire among various national patient groups to network, cooperate and share experiences.

For more information please view the IKCC website www.ikccv2.wpengine.com

Search for us on Facebook as: IKCC

Follow us on Twitter: @IKCCORG

 

Key projects include:

  1. a) Global Charter for Kidney Cancer Care, published in European Urology, and now available in 14 languages. For more information, please see the IKCC website ikccv2.wpengine.com

 

  1. b) Global website for immuno-oncology in kidney cancer. The website “10-for-IO” – Ten for immuno-oncology (IO) – is a new internet platform launched in September 2015 and now available in four languages: English, German, French, and Spanish with Portuguese and Dutch soon to be announced.

Visit us online: www.10forIO.info