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The Foundation recently reported on the success of their anti-stigma campaigns in South Africa and Mexico with implementing partner John Snow, Inc. and announced during the Congress their plans to expand programs into Japan and China to diminish stigma and empower patients in those nations. The Foundation will collaborate with the American Cancer Society and the Health and Global Policy Institute on the Patient Empowerment Project in Japan.

Hand in hand with barriers like stigma come lack of access to quality medical care and pain relief for many of the 28 million people affected by cancer throughout the world. The Foundation has worked tirelessly at the national and global level to help promote a shift in policy and funding -- away from the traditional disease-centric approach and towards strengthening health systems that serve all the people.

The Foundation is continuing its efforts to expand access to health and palliative care by investing $500,000 in a new three-year partnership with UICC. Expanding Global Access to Essential Medicines and Technologies, the initiative with UICC, will advance international advocacy to ensure targets for essential medicines at global and national levels; create an on-the-ground success story for access to essential medicines and elevate patient voices.

The Foundation and UICC plan to set ambitious, but achievable targets for essential medicines. They are developing a replicable, cost-effective model for improving access to pain relief in collaboration with Partners in Health and the Global Access to Pain Relief Initiative, beginning with two hospitals in Haiti. They plan to elevate patient voices by providing key roles for cancer survivors at major conferences and in public awareness campaigns around the world.

On Wed., Aug. 29, Armstrong also participated in A Conversation with Global Leaders on Cancer Survivorship hosted by The Cedars Cancer Institute at the McGill University Health Centre. The conversation, moderated by Ulman, included panelists Her Royal Highness Princess Dina Mired of Jordan, director general of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation, and Cary Adams, CEO, UICC. Among the 300 guests were more than 100 cancer survivors, distinguished members of the Canadian cancer community and friends and supporters from across the globe. Proceeds from the evening benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the Cedars Cancer Institute and the UICC.