On World Cancer Day, we are all called to take action.
At HVO, we believe educating and supporting health workers is essential to addressing the global cancer burden. We bring together individuals who are passionate about improving access to treatment and quality of life for individuals with cancer in an effort to strengthen the collective cancer care workforce.
The World Health Organization estimates that more than one third of all cancer cases can be prevented, and many more can be successfully treated through early detection and appropriate treatment. In total, implementing prevention and detection strategies and improving access to treatment could save nearly four million lives each year.
Each HVO volunteer and trainee at our oncology and hematology project sites is committed to increasing the availability and quality of treatment for individuals living with cancer in resource-scarce countries. Many of our oncology and hematology volunteers and trainees also work to improve access to and increase utilization of prevention and early detection services, as do volunteers and trainees in our other programs, from dermatology to internal medicine to nursing education.
HVO connects cancer care providers from countries across the globe, enabling them to share best practices in the context of varying access to resources. We also facilitate interprofessional collaboration—a vital strategy for improving cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment—by supporting and training health workers across our 18 program areas. By investing in the total health workforce in each country where we work, HVO helps strengthen the local health system, an essential step toward reducing the burden of complex diseases like cancer.
February 4th is World Cancer Day, which marks the launch of #IAmAndIWill – a three-year campaign that calls everyone to make a personal commitment to address the global cancer burden. Fulfill your commitment by volunteering or donating to support HVO’s mission to improve access to cancer care and other essential health services for patients around the globe.
You can also help spread the word by sharing HVO with your networks on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Whether you are a dedicated member of the cancer care workforce, or a passionate layperson, you have the power to transform lives and reduce the global burden of cancer. Together, we can and we will ensure access to quality health care for all people.
HVO’s oncology and hematology programs are supported by our sponsors, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, the Society of Surgical Oncology and the Oncology Nursing Society. These organizations connect us to volunteers and provide resources that sustain our projects.