ICEDOC was registered in Texas in 1999 with Prof. Ahmed Elzawawy as Founding President and Dr. Pamela J. Haylock as Founding Secretary General. In 2016 it became a global movement, the Win-Win movement, which aims to make better-value cancer care more affordable through scientific approaches and win-win scenarios. No one will lose. All stakeholders will win.
The open letter
We will be pleased to receive your requirements so that we can include them in our schedule. Examples of our main activities:
- Free consultation. The committee offers suggestions and technical and medical advice on cancer control and on establishing and developing cancer management units, from starting new projects to improving the quality and quantity of existing facilities. A country or local authority only needs to specify its needs and cover travel and local accommodation for the short stay of the volunteer experts, who work for free.
- Training courses and round-table seminars, customized to the request of the host country or region. The host covers only tickets and local accommodation. The sooner you send your request, the earlier your program can be arranged.
- Practical topics, such as establishing and developing oncology centers, organizing outpatient oncology units, cancer prevention and control, improving the quality of radiation oncology, chemotherapy and drug administration, local training of young radiation oncologists, physicists and radiotherapy technicians, practical skills for nurses and care givers, and running and administering an oncology unit or center.
- Technology transfer and technical advice through this website, e-mail, fax and printed materials distributed for free.
We believe that working with local health authorities, doctors and health care personnel gives the best results, because local conditions and experience are taken into account. One of ICEDOC’s main principles is to tailor cancer centers and cancer control programs to regional conditions as much as possible. ICEDOC belongs to all of humanity, so it belongs to you.
We look forward to receiving your requests, suggestions and comments. Please accept the appreciation of the whole board of ICEDOC.
The ICEDOC message
To the human community. To all health authorities in the world. To governmental and non-governmental cancer organizations. To eminent personalities, politicians, industrialists and cancer treatment manufacturers. To all who are concerned with cancer problems, prevention and treatment.
In spite of all the existing efforts, reasonable cancer therapy is available for only 10–15% of cancer patients in the world. Given the prevalence of cancer, this means not less than 20 million cancer patients without it. Cancer touches not only patients but also the families and friends who suffer with them, so the burden of unreachable cancer care lies on not less than 80 million people. The lack is most evident in radiation and medical oncology, and in palliative and supportive care. This tragic situation should not be allowed to continue.
ICEDOC was established as an independent committee to complement, not compete with or duplicate, the work of existing organizations, societies and authorities. Its first founding meeting was held in Vienna on 24–25 September 1996. It is a non-profit, non-governmental committee of volunteer experts in cancer and related sciences and professions. It coordinates the views and efforts of volunteer oncologists, experts, manufacturers, authorities, administrators and eminent personalities towards more and better cancer centers all over the world.
The goals of ICEDOC
- To increase cancer management facilities in the world.
- To improve the quality of existing services.
- To decrease the morbidity and mortality of cancer.
- To promote early detection tailored to each region, linked with more available treatment.
- To help tailor cancer treatment protocols, modalities and departments to the specific conditions and socio-economic factors of each region, taking into consideration the views of local care givers and the community, so that results stay within the acceptable range. Both patients and the progress of medicine benefit.
- To conduct relevant research.
Honorary and active membership can be presented to all who support, help or take part in achieving these goals. We welcome all cooperation, suggestions and comments.
Finally, we are all aware of the screaming of millions of cancer patients, their relatives and friends: “Please don’t forget us.”
Sincerely, the Board of ICEDOC