At the start of July, one of the Action Kidney Cancer team, Steve Pointon attended the WECAN patient advocacy masterclass training event over 3 days in Frankfurt. Steve previously attended the Smartstart course pre-COVID.

The Workgroup of European Cancer Patient Advocacy Networks (WECAN) is a network of leaders from over 20 cancer patient umbrella organisations active in Europe. Their mission is to act as a well-coordinated cancer patient community towards all stakeholders by building levels of trust, collaboration, alignment and mutual support in the pan-European cancer patient community.

The training was fascinating and very informative, Steve was joined by cancer patients and advocates from all around Europe, and spent time with Claudia from Italy, Matilda from Sweden, Dena representing the German cancer associations and Dr Rachel Giles, the CEO of the International Kidney Cancer Coalition (IKCC).

Subjects on the agenda were varied and covered research and data, healthcare systems, policy and access to treatments, and advocacy tools and skills. The opportunity to learn from some of the speakers, who were mostly very experienced advocates, was really valuable and will definitely help Steve in the work he does with Action Kidney Cancer, which will in turn obviously benefit the kidney cancer community.

Copyright Uli Deck

Copyright Uli Deck