VISION OF CCI EUROPE
The Vision of CCI Europe is to cure children and adolescents with childhood cancer with no- or as few as possible long-term health problems and late-effects.
To reach its vision, CCI Europe is working in close collaboration with the medical and psychosocial professionals, academia, scientists, the civil society and private organisations all over Europe.
CHILD 4 CHILD
International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is a global collaborative campaign to raise awareness about childhood cancer and to express support for children and adolescents with cancer, survivors and their families. The day is celebrated around the world each year on February 15th and promotes increased appreciation and a deeper understanding of issues and challenges relevant to childhood cancer. It also spotlights the need for more equitable and better access to treatment and care for all children with cancer, everywhere.
What is the message we’d like to pass on 15th February? Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children above the age of one year in the European Union. Every day, there are almost 700 new cases of childhood cancer around the world. We aim to increase awareness about Childhood Cancer in general and give the Gold Ribbon its well-deserved visibility.
Unfortunately, the 5-year survival rate for children in eastern European countries is 10% – 20% less compared to Central and Western Europe. The chance for a cure, the chance to live, should not be an accident of geography. Children’s rights cannot be fulfilled and protected unless preventing and treating cancers is included as a priority within national cancer control programs.
Make your voices heard on International Childhood Cancer Day and demand from world leaders to ACT and HELP SAVE ALL CHILDREN regardless of where they live!
Mission of CCI Europe:
The Mission of CCI Europe is to unite parents, patients and survivors and advocate for their rights to:
Improve the medical and psychosocial care for children and adolescents with cancer all over Europe
Implement European Standards of Care to eliminate still existing inequalities
Improve the quality of survivorship
CCI Europe is steered by 10 Committee Members, equally distributed Parents and Survivors’ representatives.
They are a group of patient advocates, who, besides their daytime jobs, volunteer for CCI Europe.
AUSTRIA
Anita Kienesberger
Chair of CCI Europe Committee
E-mail: a.kienesberger@ccieurope.eu
“I became a patient advocate because I wanted to work with those who survived this disease and my mission in CCI Europe is to see how the childhood cancer survivors become a strong group as patient experts.”
SPAIN
Luisa Basset-Salom
Vice-Chair of CCI Europe Committee
E-mail: L.basset@ccieurope.eu
“After my son, who is now a long-term survivor, was diagnosed with cancer in 1990, I decided to become a patient advocate to improve the access to a better diagnosis, treatment, care and quality of life of children, adolescents and survivors all over the world.”
AUSTRIA
Michaela Willi
CCI Europe Committee Member
E-mail: m.willi@ccieurope.eu
“I am a Childhood Cancer Survivor. As patient advocate and scientist, I am striving to bridge these two disciplines I am passionate for.”
BELGIUM
Delphine Heenen
CCI Europe Committee Member
E-mail: d.heenen@ccieurope.eu
“When my son relapsed from cancer, I realised that children did not have access to the newest treatments developed for adults. I want children to come first, and not last when it comes to innovation and for that, we need better regulations to facilitate research and more money to fund the best projects.”
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
Lejla Kamerić
CCI Europe Committee Member
E-mail: l.kameric@ccieurope.eu
“Since my daughter got treated in a middle-income country, my mission within CCI Europe became apparent: Every child with cancer has to have equal access to Diagnosis, Treatment and Care, as well as adequate follow-up, no matter where in Europe they live.”
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
Harun Šabić
CCI Europe Committee Member
E-mail: h.sabic@ccieurope.eu
“After my recovery from cancer after my teenage years, I decided to volunteer in the field of childhood cancer. I decided to become active in order to help children who came for treatment. With my involvement in CCI Europe, I got the opportunity to become a patient representative and help children and young people who are being treated so they could receive the best care and their rights during and after treatment.”
GREECE
Georgia Kokkinou
CCI Europe Committee Member
E-mail: g.kokkinou@ccieurope.eu
“Having lost a child to cancer, I know first-hand what it means to deal with cancer and loss. I am here to make sure that all children have access to the latest treatments and all families receive proper support, regardless of the country they live in.”
LUXEMBOURG
Anne Goeres
CCI Europe Committee Member
E-mail: a.goeres@ccieurope.eu
“My commitment to the national childhood cancer foundation highlighted how essential it is to be active on the international level to learn, share and exchange for a greater understanding of the different childhood cancer aspects and foster for improvements on all levels for the young patients and their families.”
PORTUGAL
Tiago Costa
CCI Europe Committee Member
E-mail: t.costa@ccieurope.eu
“I became a patient advocate to be able to represent the voice of European childhood cancer survivors and raise awareness about their different realities and challenges they have to overcome in their daily life after the disease.”
SWITZERLAND
Zuzana Tomášiková
CCI Europe Committee Member
E-mail: z.tomasikova@ccieurope.eu
“As a patient advocate and a childhood cancer survivor myself, I feel urge to point out the challenges survivors face and seek to work within the community to improve the situation for future patients, survivors and their families. Simply because it is not just over, once your treatment is over.”
The Office is responsible for CCI Europe’s daily operations and for supporting the work of all committee members wherever needed.
AUSTRIA
Carina Schneider
Managing Director
E-mail: c.schneider@ccieurope.eu
AUSTRIA
Serena Giacomin
Office Coordinator
E-mail: s.giacomin@ccieurope.eu
AUSTRIA
Despina Freri
Communication & Marketing Manager
E-mail: d.freri@ccieurope.eu
AUSTRIA
Barbara Brunmair
Project Coordinator
E-mail: b.brunmair@ccieurope.eu
AUSTRIA
Hannah Gsell
Project Coordinator
E-mail: h.gsell@ccieurope.eu
AUSTRIA
Albina Hyseni-Bocolli
Project Coordinator
E-mail: a.bocolli@ccieurope.eu
BELGIUM
Teresa Pais
Senior Policy Officer
E-mail: t.pais@ccieurope.eu
BELGIUM
Marine Gouders
Junior Policy Officer
E-mail: m.gouders@ccieurope.eu
HISTORY
In 2011, the Parents and Patients Advocacy Committee (PPAC) was created within the European project ENCCA, including parents and survivors’ representatives of Childhood Cancer International (CCI) European members
CCI Europe Regional Committee was officially formed in 2015 representing in Europe the interests of all the CCI European members
In 2016 the CCI Europe Survivors Network was formed within that group, representing the interests of European Survivors.
Since the beginning of 2019 CCI Europe became officially the European branch of CCI. CCI Europe is working very closely with SIOP Europe and formed a formal partnership with PanCare regarding Survivorship.