News & Events Category: Building Community

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Toward a ‘network of networks’ serving bladder cancer patient organisations

A group photo of all speakers of WBCPC 2020

***This article is the first part of a two-article series which summarises the experiences shared at the WBCPC 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting.

A little-known fact about the global landscape for cancer research, treatment and care is that bladder cancer is one of the more common conditions. They are in the top 10 cancers worldwide and rank 4th and 5th in North America and Europe.

People living with breast, lung, colorectal, prostate cancers are supported by well-connected patient and advocacy networks and global campaigns.

Remembering Andrew Winterbottom

Today, it is with great sadness that we remember the death of Andrew Winterbottom, the founder of Fight Bladder Cancer UK. Andrew died on 31 May 2019 after a diagnosis of bowel cancer in 2018. It is poignant that he died on the last day Bladder Cancer Awareness Month, which he saw develop into a global movement.

In October 2018, Andrew Winterbottom revealed he had a terminal diagnosis and stepped down from his day-to-day management of Fight Bladder Cancer to concentrate on his own health.

The World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition appoints Alex Filicevas as first-ever Executive Director

The World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition has appointed Alex Filicevas as the organisation’s first-ever Executive Director. He comes with great experience working in a cancer patient organisation and in policy; and takes up his position from October 2019.

Alex Filicevas comes from his previous role in the largest cancer patient umbrella organisation in Europe, the European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC), where he led advocacy and policy initiatives, capacity building and stakeholder partnerships.

New global bladder cancer patient organisation is established

A group of people representing the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition and its member organisations

The World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition (WBCPC) was officially launched at the European Association of Urology Congress #EAU19 in Barcelona Spain on Monday 18 March 2019 at 16:00.

The need for an organisation like this is critical. Bladder cancer is the 10th most common cancer in the world, with more than half a million new cases reported every year.i

Three major bladder cancer organisations, the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (US), Fight Bladder Cancer (UK) and Bladder Cancer Canada worked together to create the organisation.