ESO organises workshops on cancer for journalists in countries with limited resources who face significant challenges in reporting cancer stories. These workshops provide journalists with a forum for discussing these challenges and sharing solutions and for honing their skills in cancer journalism. All journalists in these countries with experience of reporting on cancer issues are invited to attend these meetings.

Recent training session

World Conference of Science Journalists
ESO Workshop
Sunday 26th June 2011
Cancer- the role of journalists in informing attitudes and beliefs

Slides from the Workshop
Informing Attitudes and Beliefs about Cancer
Statistical and other resources

Session overview
Myths and fatalism, together with biased information from vested interests, form a major obstacle to stemming the rising tide of suffering and death from cancer. This interactive workshop is for health, medical and science journalists who want to discuss the challenges of providing accurate information about how to avoid cancer, of covering human stories about the realities of living with cancer, and of promoting an informed debate about priorities in screening, treatment and care for the dying, where resources are limited.

Speakers

Dispelling common perceptions and misconceptions about cancer:

• Prevention: We will explore what gives you cancer, what protects you and what cancers cannot be prevented
• Early detection: We will tease out the pros and cons of cancer screening
• Treatment: Poorer countries cannot afford good cancer treatments? We will try to dispel the most deadly myth of all
• Rehabilitation and palliative care: Horrendous pain is inevitable? Cancer must bring social shame? We will explore the various public perceptions that blight the lives of cancer patients

• How do these myths affect efforts to tackle cancer and support patients and their families? 
• How can journalists challenge misconceptions and help inform the public? 
• Can the World Cancer Declaration – an eleven-point tried and tested ‘roadmap’ for tackling cancer across the world – provide a useful framework for journalists trying to promote informed public debate and hold accountable those responsible for the nation’s healthcare and public health?

Previous Workshops

• Journalist Symposium during the UICC World Cancer Congress Crowne Plaza Hotel, Geneva - August 31st 2008
  
• Confronting Cancer in Syria Media Forum with International Experts and the Ministries of Health and Higher Education Le Méridien Damascus, Syria - May 4th 2008

On 4th May the Cancer Media Service and Euro-Arab School of Oncology (EASO) held a press conference in Damascus at the end of the EASO course on Lung cancer and Mesothelioma. The press conference gave journalists the opportunity to listen to and question a variety of speakers from the course as well as a representative from WHO Syria. The conference was attended by 29 journalists from 22 media organisations. 


Further information
English
Arabic

• Cancer journalism: Meeting the Challenges in Countries with limited resources” World Cancer Congress – July 8th -12th 2006

In July 2006 ESO, in collaboration with the American Cancer Society and the International Union Against Cancer, organised a media satellite event at the World Cancer Congress with the aim of promoting excellence in cancer journalism in countries with limited resources. A number of leading journalists from Uganda, Ghana, Egypt, Hungary, Bulgaria, Bolivia and the Philippines shared their experiences and highlighted ways of meeting the many challenges inherent in reporting cancer in their own country. 

    

CancerWorld 15 - Spotlight on - Helping the Media get the message