Lori Cirefice is the President of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition and also serves as the President of the French patient organisation, Cancer Vessie France. Her husband was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2013, and prior to that, Lori had never heard of the disease. In her search for resources, she discovered a lack of peer support in France and reached out to Fight Bladder Cancer UK for guidance. This led to the creation of Association Cancer Vessie France in 2017.
Michelle Colero is the Vice President of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition and serves on its Board of Directors. She is also the Executive Director of Bladder Cancer Canada, where she leads the organisation in its mission to promote patient advocacy, increase awareness, and fund research for the 80,000 Canadians living with and beyond a bladder cancer diagnosis. She is an experienced leader in the not-for-profit sector with over 20 years of progressive leadership positions developing and executing strategies while delivering successful campaigns for local,
Lauren Pretorius, is on the Board of Directors of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition co-founder and CEO of Campaigning for Cancer, has been committed to the cause since its inception in 2008, emphasizing the rights of cancer patients. Launching her first venture in branding and marketing during school laid the groundwork for her corporate background. The association with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and Foundation transitioned her focus to non-profit initiatives, and by 2005,
Dr Stephanie Demkiw (B.Med, B.Surg, B.BiomedSci) is on the Board of Directors of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition and is a co-chair of Bladder Cancer Awareness Australia is a primary care physician from Melbourne, Australia. She has had a keen interest in bladder cancer patient advocacy ever since her father was diagnosed 10 years ago with an aggressive form of the disease. When he passed away, Stephanie and her sister formed Bladder Cancer Awareness Australia (BCA) which is the first formal awareness group and charity in Australia,
Carl-Henrik is on the Board of Directors of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition and is the founder of the Swedish Bladder Cancer Society after his personal bladder cancer diagnosis in 2018. Identifying a gap in patient support in Sweden, he was inspired to establish this vital association. Through international collaborations, especially with Norwegian and English platforms, Carl-Henrik has been dedicated to bladder cancer awareness and peer-to-peer support in his homeland. While his title is “founder”,
Sarah Coffey Dégrange is on the Board of Directors of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition and supports the French Bladder Cancer Association, Cancer Vessie France as their Social Media Manager and plays a very active role in promoting awareness about the disease and providing help to patients on a national level. Originally from Ireland, Sarah boasts fluency in both English and French, having resided in France for a significant period. Her journey with bladder cancer began at the age of 45,
Helen joined as a WBCPC Board Member in March 2024. Diagnosed and treated for bladder cancer in late 2015, at the age of 43, she then turned her focus to helping other patients. Helen was one of the first bladder cancer patients to participate in the WBCPC Patient Advisory group, contributing to the formation of the inaugural patient survey. An active participant in Bladder Cancer Awareness Australia (BCAA) and BEAT Bladder Cancer Australia, Helen is passionate about sharing her cancer treatment experiences and living life with a urostomy.
Fiorella Gagliardi is a certified public accountant, full-stack developer, and strategic consultant with over 20 years of experience supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs. Her career combines management, technology, and creativity, always driven by a strong commitment to service. After going through breast cancer, she became dedicated to supporting other patients. She is the President of Vicare Gu, the only patient association in Argentina focused on genitourinary cancers with a reach across Latin America, and the founder of the Patient Platform.
Alessandro Boni is a Board Member of PALINURO, an Italian patient organisation supporting people affected by urothelial cancer. He was diagnosed with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) in 2018 and underwent a three-year BCG treatment. This experience profoundly impacted him and inspired his commitment to supporting others facing the disease.
Drawing from his background as an HR Manager and Innovation Consultant, Alessandro channels his professional expertise into patient advocacy, awareness, and peer support.
