November marks the 25th anniversary of the Ireland–Northern Ireland–US National Cancer Institute Cancer Consortium, an unparalleled cross-border health initiative that directly resulted from the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
This unique partnership has been truly transformative, with 35,000 patients on the island of Ireland participating in clinical trials, saving thousands of lives and improving the quality of life of thousands more.
This initiative led to a 15% improvement in cancer survival across the island, and a 550% increase in cancer research quality between Ireland and Northern Ireland, delivering both health and economic impact island-wide.
The work was recognized as an international exemplar of the health dividend of peace at the Science Summit of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2023.
The Consortium has been a forerunner of the All-Island Cancer Research Institute (AICRI), a unique partnership that unites ten universities and a growing series of stakeholders across the island of Ireland to deliver research that yields scientific, economic, and most importantly patient impact.
AICRI, together with US and European partners including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), the European Cancer Organisation (ECO), the European School of Oncology (ESO), and the Irish Government, hosted the inaugural Euro-American Forum on Cancer in official Irish state residence Farmleigh in Dublin in April, bringing together 100 international leaders to address the global challenge of a disease that kills over 610,000 Americans and 1.1 million EU citizens every year.
The Joint Euro-American Forum on Cancer commences in the Farmleigh House in Dublin, Ireland now! Stay tuned for more updates. #EuroAmericanCancerForum2024 #TogetherStronger #CancerHasNoBorders pic.twitter.com/IKlxjRDp8D
— All-Island Cancer Research Institute (AICRI) (@AlCRIproject) April 25, 2024
In addition to significant senior cancer leadership from the US speaking at the event, including both the President and Chief Medical Officer of ASCO and the Director of the Centre for Global Health at the NCI, messages of support from US Ambassador to Ireland Clare Cronin and Congressman Richard Neal emphasized the US commitment to our shared vision at a political level.
Ambassador Claire Cronin (@USAmbIreland ) , the U.S Ambassador to Ireland sends a personalised message to the audience at the #EuroAmericanForum2024!@theNCI @ASCO#TogetherStronger #CancerHasNoBorder pic.twitter.com/yC2oFV1bbr
— All-Island Cancer Research Institute (AICRI) (@AlCRIproject) April 25, 2024
A resolution was unanimously passed at the Forum to enhance transatlantic cooperation in a “Together is Better” approach, with the island of Ireland as a key bridge between Europe and the US, linking the ambitions of the European Beating Cancer Plan and Europe’s Cancer Mission with the reinvigorated US Cancer Moonshot 2.0.
The formulation of this historic resolution and its announcement in Dublin has been significantly influenced by AICRI’s engagement in the US over the last 18 months, with a series of impactful events in Boston, New York, Washington, and Chicago, culminating in a presentation to the US Congressional Cancer Caucus on Capitol Hill during St. Patrick’s Week earlier this year, sponsored by Congressman Mike Kelly.
Next week, Congressman Timothy M. Kennedy of Western New York, home to the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, alongside leaders from Roswell Park, will visit University College Dublin and Queens University Belfast to meet with cancer researchers and clinicians to strengthen transatlantic ties in the pursuit of training the next generation of cancer curers.
There has been bi-partisan support for the vision, as reflected in Congressman Neal, Kennedy, and Kelly’s commitment to our shared efforts.
In the US, as elsewhere, Cancer Knows No Borders - Neither should we.
Special Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland Joseph Kennedy III also highlighted the success of the transatlantic partnership at events in Washington and Northern Ireland.
The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that global cancer cases, precipitated by the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and an aging population, will rise by over 75% between now and 2050. In the US, new cases of cancer are expected for the first time to exceed 2 million annually by the end of this year. Time is not our friend and it certainly isn’t the friend of the cancer patient. Successfully addressing this looming global cancer challenge is a significant task for humanity.
AICRI's Cancer Knows No Borders clarion call, mediated through a transatlantic “Together is Better” campaign provides a unique opportunity to overcome cancer as we know it for everyone, everywhere.
You can learn more about the All-Island Cancer Research Institute on its website.
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