Invitation to our press conference, held on 15th May 2008, 10 am
Our new creative web site will be launched by autumn 2008 (German Version)
"Overcoming Cancer with Research" is a project dedicated to science communication and funded by the European Commission. With a budget of 618,000,- euro, it is supported under the 7th Framework Programme.
Which benefits arise from the EU's Framework Programmes?
The framework programmes are a key tool to support, improve, encourage and promote research and innovation capacities throughout Europe and to further international competitiveness.
The concept of sustainable development and innovation is a major element for growth and employment. Research, innovation and technology are fundamental contributors to sustainable economic wealth and prosperity in Europe.
The 7th Framework Programme (FP7) supports research activities carried out in international cooperation. The European Union supports research institutes, universities and businesses with the aim of strengthening the scientific and technological bases of the European industry and encouraging it to become more competitive at international level. Over a seven year period from 2007 until 2013, FP7 will spend over 50 billion euro to support research and innovation projects.
Key Facts of our Project
The official acronym of our initiative is DIRECT, an abbreviation derived from the title: DIsseminate Results of EC-funded Treatment improvements in paediatric oncology. However, DIRECT is an acronym with an unclear message. So, a positive and memorable slogan was created to disseminate a remarkable success story (more about this a little bit later).
The project has officially started 1st of March 2008 and focuses on disseminating research and scientific knowledge in an easy and understandable way over a period of two years.
The cooperation partners are:
| With support of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme |
| Significantly increased survival rates of paediatric cancer patients have substantially increased since 1940. Source: © Deutsches Ärzteblatt, 100, 13,23.3.2003 |
Facts very few people know about:
In the last 30 years, there has been a substantial rise in the survival rates of all types of cancer which most frequently occur in children and young adults. Today, more than 75 percent of children and teenagers diagnosed with cancer survive and are considered "cured". Three out of four children overcome their malignant disease thanks to improvements in treatment.
These remarkable advances are a result of:
A slogan was created.
In order to convey this remarkable success story in paediatric oncology, the cooperation partners decided to convert the meaningless acronym DIRECT into a strong slogan: Overcoming Cancer with Research.
How do you analyze and systemize research results? How does society benefit from research and scientific knowledge?
The EC-funded project "Overcoming Cancer with Research" addresses all these questions. The main objective is to inform the general public on the successful increase of survival rates in childhood cancers as a result of highly improved therapeutic strategies and research.
The communication strategy aims at illustrating the societal benefits that can be associated with biomedical and patient-oriented research by revealing the success story of paediatric oncology. Hopefully, this concept will also raise the public acceptance of financial allocations for biomedical and clinical research.
Selective measures, i.e. attractive, modern media and public events, focus on various target groups to raise awareness for childhood cancers.
It is the aim to,
| DIRECT will raise awareness for research and scientific issues among European citizens. Modern and target-group specific tools will contribute to reach this goal. |
A user-friendly, functional and visually attractive web portal will constitute our major communication tool for transfering many diverse messages to both general and specific audiences. An independent web site will be launched by autumn 2008.
Our concept: creating a strong visual identity helps reinforce the importance of our mission. To perform health-education functions and also appeal to teenagers, the messages being delivered must be presented audience-appropriate, for example by providing video games on our new web site. Dissemination to peers is crucial. If peers, i.e. class mates, student colleagues, are knowledgeable and informed about cancer, they seem to be more likely to accept and interact with children/young people suffering from a malignant disease or having overcome cancer. The potential of barriers and social discrimination can be reduced.
Helping young survivors after they have overcome cancer
The diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer, often over a long period of time, are extremley physically and mentally stressful experiences affecting each member of the family. Physical, psychological and pycho-social sequelae can persist or develop even after the end of treatment. Young survivors returning for example to school or university face problems such as peer bonding and social skills. They have to be re-integrated back into their classroom community. Others may face serious problems with finding a job.
Young people who have overcome their malignant disease are invited to use the blog of our planned web site in order to write about their situation and needs, encouraging those affected and making the general public aware of their concerncs.
Events also serve as a means of public communication to inform on children's cancer research and complex aspects of paediatric oncology. Symposia are organized to further exchange between researchers, physicians, paediatric oncologists, regulatory authorities, patient organizations, and media representatives.
In the near future, we arrange the:
International Symposium on Past Successes and Future Challenges in Paediatric Oncology, held from May 15-17, 2008, at the Billrothhaus, Frankgasse 8, 1090 Vienna
Public events and activities organized together with survivors are aimed at presenting the successes of research and the urgent demand for after-care programmes (= voluntary programmes for former childhood cancer patients, support to social reintegration) much more comprehensible.
The next public event we plan to support: July 12-19, 2008, Sarcoma Bike Tour along the Danube (please scroll to the bottom of this page for more details)
Our material repository aims at presenting the successes, intentions and important results of other EC-funded research projects in the field of paediatric oncology, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration among the experts.
Continuous public relations work focuses on informing both journalists of health-oriented magazines and of popular mass media to appeal to the general public. Hopefully, we will achieve our long-term objective to create awareness and knowlege concerning
We greatly appreciate the support of journalists helping us reach our goals.
Media contact: Sandra Brezina-Krivda, St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, Kinderspitalgasse 6, 1090 Vienna, Tel.: (+431) 404-70-4450, Fax: (+431) 404-70-64-450, sandra.brezina-krivda@ccri.at
Cancer is the name for a large number of diseases in which cells of a part of the body begin to divide uncontrollably and infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue. Normal body cells grow and divide and know to stop growing. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new cells. Unlike these normal cells, cancer cells just continue to grow and divide out of control and don't die.
Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems (fluid travelling through the lymphatic system and carrying cells that fight against infections and other diseases). The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumor. Cells in these cancerous (malignant) tumors can invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis. Some cancers do not form tumors. For example, leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood.
Cancer in children and young adults
Children's cancer is not only less frequent than adult cancer, it is also different. None of the most common adult cancers, prostate, breast, lung, colon, are found in children. The most common childhood cancers are leukemia, brain cancer and lymphoma.
What is sarcoma?
It is a cancer of the connective tissues, such as nerves, muscles, cartilage, joints, bone, or blood vessels.
It can arise anywhere in the body, frequently hidden deep in the limbs.
How prevalent are sarcomas?
About only 1% of all adult cancers are sarcomas. Yet, they account for 15-20% of all children's cancers.
How are sarcomas treated?
When possible, sarcoma patients have surgery to remove the cancer. Surgery is often combined with chemotherapy and/or radiation.
Why are sarcomas so insidious?
They are often misdiagnosed. Sometimes they are thought to be sports injuries.
When they are diagnosed, they may be large and difficult to remove surgically and they may have metastasized. Many sarcomas resist current treatments. sind unempfindlich gegenüber den zur Zeit zur Verfügung stehenden Behandlungsmethoden.
For more details, please click http://www.sarcomahelp.org/index.html, an information portal edited by the "Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative" which was founded by Dr. Bruce and Bev Shriver.
The Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative undertakes activities that help improve the quality of life for people dealing with sarcoma.
Central to this mission are the goals of increasing public awareness of sarcoma and raising funds for sarcoma-related research and clinical trials. Increased public awareness of sarcoma will finally lead to increased research and clinical trial funding which will ultimately lead to a cure for sarcoma.
From July 12 - 19, 2008, cyclists of the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative will bike along the Danube River - starting from Passau (Germany) - to Vienna.
The 2008 Team Sarcoma Bike Tour is part of an internationally coordinated set of events that all take place during this "international Sarcoma Awareness Week", organized by the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative. This initiative will involve thousands of people worlwide, People from local "Team Sarcomas" in their home countries around the globe will run, walk, hike, swim, cycle etc. to raise awareness for the importance of finding a cure for this devastating and often deadly cancer.
The bike tour takes will take all the participants along the Danube River to Linz, Krems, the Wachau and finally to Vienna. The bike tour, including registrations and hotel bookings, is coordinated by the Donauradfreunde. The group will be accompanied by three trained guides and two support vans. Cycling options are very flexible and support vans will be available to assist those who tire or need a bike repair, as well as refreshments and snacks.
How do you register for the 2008 Team Sarcoma Bike Tour?
Send a note to Bruce Shriver at shriver@genesis2.com to check to see if space is available. He can answer all questions that you might have about the bike tour.
Please click here to download details of the bike route:
Itinery,2008_Team_Sarcoma_Bike_Tour.pdf