What is the Best Cancer Reporter Award?

The Best Cancer Reporter Award is an independent initiative of the European School of Oncology (ESO) that is funded by private donors. The School established the Award in 2006 to promote intelligent and critical coverage of cancer and acknowledge the many examples of excellence in reporting cancer by journalists

Why did the School establish the Best Cancer Reporter Award?

The media plays a pivotal role in informing attitudes and beliefs about cancer and conveying important public health messages about this challenging disease. Also, the media helps to promote informed debate about different aspects of cancer research, treatment and care and to highlight gaps in the provision of cancer services. Cancer is a challenging topic to cover well. Journalists often face problems in accessing accurate information, finding credible sources and resisting the pressure to sensationalise stories. Despite these challenges many journalists do an excellent job in reporting cancer stories. ESO established the BCRA to raise awareness about the valuable role that the media plays in the fight against cancer and to showcase examples of excellent cancer journalism.

Who can be nominated for ESO’s Best Cancer Reporter Award?

The Award is open to consumer journalists (staff or freelance) writing for print or online publications who have demonstrated outstanding ability in covering cancer stories. Journalists can nominate themselves or be nominated by a colleague or member of the cancer community.

Journalists who write for medical journals (eg. Nature, etc.), professional audiences (eg. Scrip etc.) or cancer publications (eg. Cancer World, Lancet Oncology, newsletter/magazine published by cancer organisations etc.) are not eligible for this Award.

What do the winners of ESO’s Best Cancer Reporter Award Receive?

The Best Cancer Reporter Award winner will receive a cash prize of €10,000. There is also a runner-up prize of €5000 and a small number of Special Merit Awards.

An article written by winning journalists will be published in ESO’s Cancer World magazine.

How can I nominate someone for ESO’s Best Cancer Reporter Award 2012?

You can nominate a journalist for the 2012 Best Cancer Reporter Award by completing a nomination form and sending it to the European School of Oncology by 30 April 2012. 

To enter the BCRA or nominate someone you know please download this nomination form
PDF Nomination form
WORD Nomination form

Where can I find further information about ESO’s Best Cancer Reporter Award?

Rules
Judging criteria
Further information

For more information please contact:
mediaservice@eso.net or call Alexandra Zampetti +41 91 811 84 50

2011 Best Cancer Reporter Award
In 2011 the Best Cancer Reporter Award was given to the following journalists:
Joint 1st prize
Mark Henderson, UK and
Victoria Lambert, UK
Runner-up prize
Martina Keller, Germany
Special merit prize
Silja Paavle, Estonia.

For further information of the winners please read the press release below
British journalists win joint first prize for excellence in cancer journalism

Which journalists have won ESO’s Best Cancer Reporter Award in previous years

2010 Best Cancer Reporter Award
In 2010 the Best Cancer Reporter Award was given to the following journalists:
1st prize
Nicola Kuhrt
Runner-up prize
Mark Henderson
Special Campaigners Award.
Paula Herlo
Special Merit Award
Slawomir Zagoriski

2009 Best Cancer Reporter Award
In 2009 Best Cancer Reporter Awards were given to the following journalists: 
Joint 1st Prize
Margaret McCartney, Financial Times, United Kingdom 
Linda Geddes, New Scientist, United Kingdom
2nd Prize 
Rabiya Tuma, The Economist, US

In addition, Italian journalist Daniela Ovadia and Portuguese journalist Nelson Marques received a Special Merit Award certificate that recognises the excellence of their work.

For further information about the 2009 BCRA winners, please, read the following press release: 

Two British journalists win joint first prize in prestigious cancer journalism award

2008 
In 2008 Best Cancer Reporter Awards were given to the following journalists: 
1st Prize
Simon Crompton, The Times, United Kingdom 
2nd Prize
Ulrich Bahnsen, Die Zeit, Germany 
3rd Prize
Päivi Repo, Helsingin Sanomat, Finland

In addition, Adrian Sudbury (UK) received a Special Merit Award in recognition of his willingness to write, through his blog (Baldy’s Blog), about his personal cancer experience in order to raise awareness about the need for bone and marrow donations.

2007
In 2007 Best Cancer Reporter Awards were given to the following journalists: 
1st Prize
Pawel Walewski, Polityka, Poland 
Joint 2nd Prize
Maria Valerio Sainz, El Mundo, Spain 
Linda Geddes, New Scientist, UK

In addition, Eric Baumann from the Tages-Anzeiger, Switzerland and Iva Shohova from the Prague Post, Czech Republic received a Special Merit Award in recognition of their willingness to write about their personal cancer experience in order to raise awareness about some of the difficulties faced by cancer patients as they progress through their cancer journey.

2006
The following journalists were given Best Cancer Reporter Awards in 2006. 
1st Prize
Sarah Boseley, The Guardian, UK
Joint 2nd Prize
Catherine Kalamis, Guernsey Press, UK
Simon Crompton, The Times, UK 
3rd Prize 
Paul Benkimoun, Le Monde, France