Colorectal Cancer Patients Call for European Action

LONDON, June 27, 2011 -

- The Power of Patient Voice: Europe’s largest patient
conference to fight the killer disease has been successfully
launched

Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients from across Europe benefited
greatly from the Colorectal Cancer Patient Conference that took
place in Barcelona last weekend: With almost 200 attendees from 27
countries the first pan-European conference of its kind united CRC
patients and experts from the whole continent to share the latest
knowledge about prevention, diagnosis and therapy. Europe’s fastest
growing CRC patient organisation europacolon organised the
conference to motivate delegates to take action in prioritising the
awareness of the disease, extending Formal Population Screening
Programmes and encouraging the improvement of standards as well as
the equity of care through National Cancer Plans.

“We are proud that the conference has created such enthusiasm
amongst attendees who are now eager to action changes in their
countries to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of
colorectal cancer,” states Jola Gore-Booth, CEO and founder of
europacolon. Together with its partners, the World Health
Organisation, LIVESTRONG and Global Colon Cancer, europacolon also
aims to obtain a stronger commitment from governments across Europe
to support changes in their healthcare systems where needed.
“europacolon addresses authorities throughout Europe to take
actions to expedite the equal access to the best CRC treatment and
care of citizens. We call to all European nations to implement
National Cancer Plans and Formal Population Screening Programmes,”
adds Gore-Booth. The annual CRC event was actively supported by
cancer advocates from across Europe, amongst others Czech MEP Pavel
Poc.

Colon cancer is still the second most common malignancy in
Europe with yearly more than 400,000 newly diagnosed patients and
over 200,000 deaths. “Yet colorectal cancer is preventable in many
cases and highly treatable if diagnosed early,” affirms Professor
Eric Van Cutsem, Medical Director of europacolon. “It is essential
that all Europeans are accurately and responsibly informed about
colorectal cancer because good cancer care starts with sound cancer
information,” adds CRC survivor Suzanne Lindley from the U.S. And
indeed, informed patients are invaluable partners for
clinicians!

href="www.ipse.de/europacolon">www.ipse.de/europacolon

href="www.europacolon.com">www.europacolon.com

Contact:

Katrin Lewandowski
+49(030)288846-14

.