Women’s Coalition Against Cancer (WOCACA ) Host WE CAN Malawi 2023
The Women Empowerment Cancer Advocacy Network (WE CAN) in partnership with Women’s Coalition Against Cancer (WOCACA) organized the 7th WE CAN Breast and Cervical Cancer Advocacy Summit to be held in Lilongwe, Malawi at Sunbird Capital Hotel on 12th and 13th May 2023.
WE CAN supports evidence-based education, advocacy, and outreach to dispel damaging myths and misconceptions about cancer, reduce stigma, and improve survivorship. WE CAN summits and regional networks promote regional collaboration and link advocates and survivors to clinicians, policy-makers, and opportunities. We believe the power of individual patient advocates is multiplied through supporting regional networks to facilitate the exchange of best practices, build capacity, influence public policy and social norm change, and empower women leaders.
To date, 15 WE CAN summits and networks have connected hundreds advocates from more than 30 countries in Eastern Europe/Central Asia and East/Southern African, resulting in increased cancer knowledge, increased engagement of survivors in cancer policy, and new initiatives and collaborations.
The 7th Africa WE CAN Summit in Lilongwe, Malawi brought together over 60 cancer survivors and advocates from over 10 countries in East and Southern Africa, as well as local cancer clinicians and policy makers.
The 2023 Summit aimed at achieving the following objectives: -
- To improve knowledge regarding evidence-based management of breast cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa
- To share experiences in stakeholder engagement for HPV vaccine and cervical cancer screening in Sub-Saharan Africa
- To foster discussion on needs of metastatic patients with cancer in the region
- To update patient advocates on global campaigns targeting breast and cervical cancer led by the World Health Organization
- To raise awareness about resource-stratified guidelines for breast and cervical cancer
- To increase understanding of basic epidemiology and statistics for cancer advocacy
- To develop locally-relevant evidence-based advocacy action plans
- To strengthen message development and advocacy communication skills
- To foster development of alliances and a regional network to facilitate sharing of best practices.
