MEP Francis Zammit Dimech, has said that “Maltese cancer NGOs play a role in providing important services to cancer patients and their families during and after their illness. This is why it is crucial to empower them and provide them with more opportunities to keep on offering a high quality support.”

“The affiliation of the Maltese National Cancer Platform to the Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL) is one way of doing so and I would like to thank President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, making this happen,” the MP added.

Zammit Dimech made these remarks following a meeting hosted by the President with the Association of European Cancer Leagues and the Maltese MEP in Brussels to discuss this affiliation following discussions that started in Malta.

He also pledged to keep on assisting Maltese cancer NGOs to participate in the Association of European Cancer Leagues to exchange good practices and to shape EU policy in the sector.

In a statement, Zammit Dimech said that he has over the past week invited several NGOs to participate in policy debates including Europa Donna, Hospice Malta, Karl Vella Foundation, Malta Health Network and the Action for Breast Cancer Foundation. During these discussions, the importance of the involvement of local cancer NGOs at EU level became more evident.

The Maltese National Cancer Platform was established in 2015 and brings together all the non-government organisations working in the field of cancer to collaborate together in order to ensure a holistic, co-ordinated and sustainable service for all cancer patients and their loved ones.

ECL is a non-profit, pan-European umbrella organisation of national and regional cancer societies. It provides an exclusive platform for members to collaborate with their international peers, primarily in the areas of cancer prevention, access to medicines and patient support and creates opportunities to advocate for these issues at the EU level.

The MEP said that “in Malta we experience nearly 2,000 new cases of cancer a year and about 900 annual deaths, and thus we had to unite to fight cancer in every possible manner.”

Zammit Dimech, who is a member of the MEPs Against Cancer, a cross-party group of MEPs dedicated to working on cancer policy, said that he believes that European cooperation adds value to member state actions.

He has also joined the Real Men Against Prostate Cancer Group, a new multi-stakeholder group of ambassadors passionate about ensuring that advanced prostate cancer patients get the right care and treatments at the right time across Europe.

Zammit Dimech has also served as the EPP Group Rapporteur on strengthening a directive on the prevention of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work.

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