On Public Day of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Forum 2026 in Hong Kong, Alex Filicevas, Executive Director of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition, presented WBCPC and our global impact, a tour of what the Coalition and its members have achieved and what comes next.
He began with the community itself. The Coalition now brings together 17 member organisations across 14 countries, and is still growing, with a wider circle of advocates,
A photo with the health minister feels like progress. It usually isn’t. That was the opening line from Richard Vines, co-founder of Rare Cancers Australia, speaking on Advocates Day of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Forum 2026 in Hong Kong. What actually moves outcomes for patients, he told the room, is not the photo. It’s everything that happens around it.
Everyone in the room is already doing advocacy
Richard opened by pushing back on a common assumption: that advocacy is something only policy specialists do.
On Advocates Day of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Forum 2026 in Hong Kong, Alex Filicevas, Executive Director of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition (WBCPC), and Lori Cirefice, President of WBCPC, sat down for a conversation about what it takes to truly support the Coalition’s members.
Lori opened with her own story. In 2013, when her husband was diagnosed with bladder cancer, they were living in the south of France with no patient organisation to turn to.
The World Bladder Cancer Patient Forum 2026 opened today in Hong Kong, the first time our Forum has been held in Asia. Advocates travelled from Senegal, Kenya, Malawi, Colombia, Argentina, Japan, India, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, Canada, South Africa and across Europe to be in the room together. The keynote session brought together Lori Funk Cirefice, President of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition (WBCPC) and of Cancer Vessie France, and Dr Ka-On Lam,
Change happens when the bladder cancer community comes together in one room. In just a few weeks that room will be in Hong Kong, and there is still time for you to be in it. The World Bladder Cancer Patient Forum 2026 is almost here. Now in its sixth edition, the Forum is the only global gathering led by and for the bladder cancer patient community. This year we meet at The Harbourview, Wan Chai,
Behind every statistic is a person navigating a diagnosis, a treatment decision or life after bladder cancer, and often a carer beside them. This September, the global community working to support them comes together in Hong Kong. The World Bladder Cancer Patient Forum 2026 takes place on September 21 and 22, 2026, at The Harbourview, Wan Chai, and registrations are now open.
Now in its sixth edition, the Forum is the annual global meeting point for patient advocates,
The World Bladder Cancer Patient Forum returns in 2026, and this year we are bringing the global bladder cancer community together in Hong Kong for a two-day event. On September 21, Advocates Day is a dedicated space for our member organisations to connect, collaborate and strengthen their advocacy. On September 22, Public Day, patients, carers, advocates, healthcare professionals, researchers and policymakers gather for a full day of conversations that matter,
The World Bladder Cancer Patient Forum returns on September 21 and 22, 2026, and for its sixth edition we are bringing the global bladder cancer community together in Hong Kong. Over two days, patient advocates, carers, healthcare professionals, researchers and policymakers will gather to exchange knowledge, strengthen partnerships and turn shared ideas into action.
Day one is dedicated to advocates and member organisations, with a focused programme built around practical organisational needs. Day two opens the conversation to a wider audience,
Bladder cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in Spain, with more than 21,000 people receiving a new diagnosis every year. Behind that number are patients, carers, and families navigating a condition that remains widely misunderstood. Today, CANVES (Alianza por el Cáncer de Vejiga en España) held its second Bladder Cancer Patient Day at the Muy Ilustre Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de Valencia (MICOF), bringing together patients, carers, healthcare professionals,
The World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition recently took part in the annual retreat of WECAN, held in Prague from April 14-15, 2026. The two-day meeting brought together 23 umbrella cancer patient organisations, representing a wide range of cancer types.
The retreat was led by Alex Filicevas, Chair of WECAN and provided an opportunity to reflect on the past year and look ahead. Participants shared experiences, exchanged ideas, and discussed common priorities as a community.
For general information, information about membership or policy information, please contact the WBCPC Secretariat at info@worldbladdercancer.org
For general information, information about membership or policy information, please contact the WBCPC Secretariat at info@worldbladdercancer.org
