What We Do
We advocate on behalf of the women of Europe
Europa Donna has national groups in 47 Member Countries
Europa Donna Advocacy Priorities:
- Applying and maintaining the new European Breast Guidelines and Quality Assurance.
Scheme developed by the European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer (ECIBC)
- Disseminating and implementing Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan
- Establishing population-based mammography screening programmes in all countries
- Implementing specialist breast units with multidisciplinary teams in all countries
- Improving services and access for women living with metastatic breast cancer
- Establishing national and international harmonised breast cancer registries
- Furthering breast cancer research and personalised treatment
- Prevention: Breast Health Day
- Survivorship and quality of life
EDUCATION
Europa Donna runs educational and training programmes to ensure that advocates are provided with up-to-date, accurate, evidence-based information:
Europa Donna Pan-European Conference
- Every two years since 1994
- Only conference dedicated primarily to breast cancer advocates and survivors
- Presentations by scientists and experts on topics of current interest to advocates
- Workshops and networking opportunities for advocates
Europa Donna Advocacy Training Course
- Every year since 2001
- Comprehensive course for new advocates covering
- Basic science and epidemiology
- Diagnosis and treatment
- Screening and specialist breast units
- Advocacy techniques
- Communication skills training
European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC)
- Every two years since 1998
- EUROPA DONNA co-organises with EUSOMA and EORTC
- Unique multidisciplinary European conference co-organised by Patient Advocates together with physicians, scientists and researchers
Europa Donna Advocacy Leader Conference
- Every two years since 2008
- Training in organisational management for EUROPA DONNA country leaders
- Capacity building and fund-raising
- Training on topics of current concern: clinical trials, European health initiatives (ECIBC and EBCP), Health Technology Assessment, and more
MBC Conference
- Every year since 2017
- Comprehensive course for advocates focusing on MBC
- Latest research and treatment advancements in MBC
- Issues and topics specific to the unmet needs of women living with MBC
- Advocacy techniques
- Communication skills training
Roundtables with our country members
- On a regular basis since 2020
- Catch up meeting with our national organisations to share updates, to support with scientific information and advocacy tools, to facilitate exchange of experience and know-how and to promote networking
Breast Health Day
- Every year since 2008
- National and international breast cancer prevention campaign
- Backed by research demonstrating the benefits of healthy lifestyles from a young age
See Events for more information.
LOBBYING
Europa Donna advocates for European Policies, promoting legislation and guidelines with EU and international policy makers to guarantee best practice in breast cancer services.
- Europa Donna played a very important role in obtaining the European Parliament Written Declarations “On the Fight Against Breast Cancer in the EU” of 2015 and 2010 and the European Parliament Resolutions on Breast Cancer of 2006 and 2003 and continues to work with the European parliament and MEP’s to keep breast cancer high on the agenda through informative webinars and awareness events on a regular basis
- The European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer (ECIBC). Europa Donna is a stakeholder in this important EU initiative that has launched and implemented:
- European guidelines on breast cancer screening and diagnosis which are regularly monitored and updated when new scientific evidence becomes available
- International guidelines on breast cancer care
- European quality assurance scheme for breast cancer services
- Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan (EBCP): EBCP is a European Commission initiative designed to tackle four key action areas: prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and quality of life. Europa Donna collaborates with the Commission to ensure implementation in all member states and beyond
Europa Donna works with the European Council to ensure that breast cancer is high on the policy agenda of the EU and of the national member states
See Public Affairs and Advocacy for more information.
INFORMATION
To ensure that advocates have access to up-to-date information Europa Donna publishes Annual Newsletters, Annual Reports, quarterly e-newsletters as well as booklets on special areas of interest such as clinical trials and research, personalized medicine and survey reports. In addition, Europa Donna maintains active networks on social media to disseminate updates and information about breast cancer.
See Publications for more information.
RESEARCH
Europa Donna promotes the advancement of breast cancer research and seeks to ensure that all women understand fully any proposed treatment options, including entry into clinical trials. The Coalition actively collaborates on international research projects and clinical trials by serving on steering committees as well as scientific, ethics and data monitoring committees. Europa Donna representatives are on the scientific committee of BIG and part of the work group of the OECD Patient-Reported Indicator Surveys (PaRIS) on breast cancer.
See Research and Clinical Trials for more information.
