(Read Lance's account of 'Why I Ride: An Open Letter'.)

Cancer Voices SA attended the Launch and met with the Livestrong CEO, Doug Ulman. Cancer Voices discussed opportunities for collaboration with Livestrong and the Global Cancer Campaign in Australia. The Livestrong-Lance Armstrong Foundation has become a world leader in cancer advocacy and Cancer Voices is keen to support that cause.

The Global Cancer Campaign aims to:

1. raise awareness of cancer (a third of cancers could be cured if detected early and treated adequately)
2. end the stigma of cancer (turn cancer victims into survivors)
3. build an international grass-roots movement and together with world leaders, shift cancer from obscurity to priority.

   “Cancer doesn’t affect just one person, it affects the entire community around them”. Lance Armstrong

Individuals, organisations, corporations and world leaders were urged to make, and submit, commitments to this campaign.

The Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, endorsed the GCC by announcing $5.6m of new cancer research funding The Premier of South Australia, Mike Rann, also endorsed the GCC with a pledge to triple the cancer charity funds raised during theTour Down Under– all good news that highlights the power of people affected by cancer when they raise their voice.

CANCER VOICES Commitments - June 2009

Commitments submitted by Cancer Voices in Australia by 1 June 09:

1. Cycle for Cancer – Community ride
   Establish a cycling event with cancer awareness as a key objective.
2. Australian aboriginal cancer conversations
   Conduct cancer conversations with aboriginal Australians to understand their perspectives, cultural and other concerns and suggest solution for their communities ‘cancer outcomes’ gap.
3. Australian Cancer Consumers Charter
   Develop and publish National Cancer Consumers Charter, in collaboration with other national cancer groups.
4. On-line cancer advocacy in Australia
   Pilot online 2-way communications for cancer advocacy in South Australia in 2009, with national roll-out in 2010/11

A map of all the Global Commitments to the fight against cancer can be seen here.
(Select a country, press Search, then scroll down to see a list of the Commitments).

Commitments are aligned with the 2020 Targets of the World Cancer Declaration (2008)

Global Cancer Summit

As the landmark event of the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign, the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit was held in Dublin, Ireland, on August 24-26, 2009.

Cancer Voices South Australia was represented at the Summit in Dublin.

See our summary of this event. The Summit was only the beginning, as we now start working on our commitments.

If you would like to find out more and get involved in these Cancer Voices activities, email [email protected]