EUROPA DONNA - The European Breast Cancer Coalition

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EUROPA DONNA - The European Breast Cancer Coalition

EUROPA DONNA - The European Breast Cancer Coalition, is an independent, non-profit organisation whos

04/02/2026

🌍 On , Europa Donna celebrates the launch of the European Code Against Cancer in all EU languages and highlights the importance of effectively sharing its recommendations.

The 5th edition of the European Code Against Cancer, developed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, includes 14 evidence-based recommendations that support prevention, encourage healthy behaviours, and promote participation in screening programmes — all key to reducing cancer risk and inequalities.

We believe prevention only works when people truly understand the message. Speaking clearly, directly, and in familiar words helps build trust, improve health literacy, and reach communities that might otherwise be left behind. Translating the Code is not just about sharing information — it is about making life-saving knowledge accessible and advancing real health equity.

🔗 See the recommendations here: https://cancer-code-europe.iarc.who.int/
World Cancer Day Association of European Cancer Leagues World Health Organization (WHO)

02/02/2026

🌸 Welcome to our new Board Members!

Following our General Assembly on 23 November, three inspiring women were elected to our Board and officially began their terms this month, January 2026.

We are delighted to welcome and warmly congratulate our new Board members: Susanne Dieroff Hay, Mirela Roman, and Donjeta Zeqa. We are confident that each of them will bring strong commitment, valuable expertise, and fresh perspectives to our organisation.

We are also pleased to announce a change in our leadership: as Fiorita Poulakaki’s term as Vice President has come to an end, we warmly welcome Ingrid Krücken, who has been elected as our new Vice President. We look forward to this new chapter and to continuing our work together in service of our mission.

➡️ At the same time, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the Board members whose terms are ending: Fiorita Poulakaki, Rowena Enriquez and Ximena Montano. Your dedication, leadership, and advocacy have made a lasting impact. You have been (and will continue to be) true role models and champions for breast cancer advocacy.

29/01/2026

✨ Introducing EmpowerED ✨

We’re proud to launch EmpowerED, Europa Donna’s new educational platform created by and for our network.

EmpowerED is designed to support breast cancer advocates across Europe by strengthening skills, sharing knowledge and creating a common space for learning and exchange. The platform offers training courses, resources and tools developed to respond to the real needs of our members and their daily advocacy work.

While most content is reserved for Europa Donna members, selected resources are open-access, allowing us to share knowledge more widely and strengthen the impact of our work beyond the network.

This is not a one-off initiative, but a long-term investment in our community, a space that will continue to grow and evolve over time.

🔗 Discover the platform: https://empowered.europadonna.org/

28/01/2026

🌸 We are proud to share that our Board Member, Ingrid Krücken, is featured in the latest issue of CancerWorld ( #111, January 2026).

In The Quiet Resolve, Ingrid offers a deeply moving reflection on living with and beyond cancer, reminding us that survivorship is not something that begins after treatment, but a journey that starts from the very beginning.
She highlights the power of empathetic communication, sharing a moment where her oncologist helped her daughter catch the concept of recurrence and – regarding implants - transforming fear into visual clarity and understanding.

Ingrid also reflects on how navigating different cultures and expectations shaped her own path, ultimately allowing her to find her voice as a woman, a mother, and an advocate for breast cancer patients.

✨ A powerful reminder that person-centred care must honour not only the patient, but their loved ones and their life beyond cancer.
🔗 Read the full interview on page 32:https://cancerworld.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CancerWorld-111-January-2026.pdf

21/01/2026

Living with MBC means making complex decisions every day.
But too often people don’t have access to the right information, at the right time.

📊 Over the past decade, information on advanced breast cancer has increased, yet major gaps remain.
Most resources focus on treatments and side effects, while crucial topics like financial support, employment rights, mental health and social care are still overlooked.

💻 Today, many people turn to “Dr. Google” for answers, but this very often leads to misinformation. Low digital literacy and language barriers can also leave patients feeling confused, isolated or misled.

🤝 Patient advocacy organisations (like Europa Donna!) play a vital role in filling these gaps, offering trusted, practical and human-centred information that healthcare systems alone cannot always provide.

🔹 Everyone living with MBC deserves access to reliable, inclusive and understandable information, no matter where they live or who they are.

This is why, improving access to quality information on MBC must remain a priority.
ABC Global Alliance

14/01/2026

✨ Whether you started Dry January on the 1st or are just thinking about it now, it’s never too late to give your body a break.
When it feels like it’s all on your mind, pause for a moment, think about a comforting cup of herbal tea. It can be surprisingly satisfying and help you slow down.

Even small reductions in alcohol can help lower the risk of breast cancer: one of the few lifestyle factors we can influence. Every mindful choice counts.
Give yourself time and kindness: you may find it’s easier than you think.

🌸 Take today as a fresh opportunity to pause, care for yourself, and celebrate the steps you’ve already taken.
Let’s keep going — for our energy, our wellbeing, and our breast health.

01/01/2026

✨ This year is all about your strength, hope, and prioritizing your health. ✨

Leave behind fear, embrace early detection, and step into 2026 with confidence and care. 💖

➡️ Take time for your health — go get screened.
Regular breast cancer screening is a powerful act of self-love — it can save your life. Take a moment for yourself, because you matter.

22/12/2025

🎄✨ Holiday Notice ✨🎄

Please note that the Europa Donna office will be closed from December 22 through January 6.
You can still reach us by e-mail at info@europadonna.org.

We wish you a safe, joyful, and relaxing holiday season! 💛

18/12/2025

“After my diagnosis, I understood the real meaning of time — which is the best gift I can give to the people I love.”

✨ Every year, Europa Donna conducts interviews with people diagnosed with early and metastatic breast cancer. This year, we had the honour of speaking with Monica Schina, an early breast cancer patient and advocate.

In this interview, Monica reflects on how a diagnosis reshaped her relationship with time, priorities, and relationships, and on the importance of turning personal experience into awareness and support for others.

➡️ Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/liViRgKftEA

15/12/2025

❄️🎄🎁 Our November & December ED-News is out!

As the year comes to a close, Europa Donna celebrates important progress in breast cancer advocacy, research, and policy across Europe. From key developments at the ABC8 Conference to advances in European breast cancer guidelines, strengthened advocacy networks, and the launch of our new EmpowerED learning platform, recent months have been full of meaningful achievements.

In this edition, we share the highlights that are helping shape more equitable, high-quality breast cancer care across the continent. Together, we continue moving toward a future where every person affected by breast cancer receives the support and care they deserve.

➡️ 🔗Visit this link to read our November & December ED-News: https://bit.ly/4ahXhwO
💌 🔗 Visit this link to subscribe to our ED-News: https://bit.ly/4jel5mm

15/12/2025

🎙️ Roundtable on “European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer: ECIBC Quality Assurance Scheme”

At our latest Europa Donna roundtable, we had the pleasure of welcoming the European Commission Joint Research Centre’s Agnes Mannik, Aliki Stathopoulou, and Shawn Baldacchino for an overview of the European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer (ECIBC) and its newly launched Manual for the Quality Assurance (QA) of Breast Cancer Services.

Our speakers outlined the two pillars of the ECIBC:
🔹 Evidence-based European breast cancer guidelines — including 80 recommendations, plain-language summaries for women and ongoing updates, such as new work on AI in screening.
🔹 A comprehensive QA Scheme — published in February 2025, offering a voluntary, modular, step-wise certification pathway to improve the quality and consistency of screening and care across Europe. The Manual was endorsed by the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) in September 2024 for application in accredited certification.

The QA scheme, already tested in nine countries, provides 64 quality requirements, self-assessment tools, and a clear process to involve national accreditation bodies. Interest is rapidly growing, with screening programmes, breast centres, policymakers, and certification bodies from countries such as Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, and Slovenia already engaging with ECIBC on implementation.

⚠️ Important note: this tool is NOT only for countries in the European Union! It is flexibly designed to be tailored to work in different social and health systems.

Our speakers encouraged advocates to help amplify the impact of the European Commission Quality Assurance Scheme:
✨ Raise awareness and share patient-friendly materials
✨ Engage national authorities and breast units
✨ Promote the value of certified centres

Patient voices remain essential for achieving safe, transparent, and person-centred breast cancer care and for driving demand for high-quality services across Europe.

10/12/2025

Both at the Europa Donna event held at the European Parliament in Brussels this past October and at our 17th Pan-European Conference in Cyprus in November, a powerful message resonated, uniting the voices of over 200 advocates, scientists and heads of medical societies, top international leaders, representatives from international cancer communities, health economists and cancer policy experts, the Health Department at OECD, members of the EU Parliament, leading MEPs in the SANT Committee, and two former Health Commissioners of the European Union ✨

Declaring the 15th of October as European Breast Health Day is more than symbolic — it is a commitment to equity, education, and action 💖

Hundreds have already signed in support of this motion. Each signature strengthens our shared commitment to making prevention, awareness, and equitable access to screening a priority across all Member States ✅

As President Roberta Metsola stated on 15th October 2025:
"No one should be left behind simply because of where that woman was born, or what she can afford. That's not the Europe that we work for or the Europe that we believe in. We need to take this message further, outside this room."

Collective action reflects the strength of our community: driving meaningful change for women’s health, united across borders, disciplines, and lived experiences 🌍
Join us — add your voice and sign it too! ✍️

Indirizzo

Milan

Sito Web

http://www.europadonna.org/

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