Norwegian Cancer Society
Contact information
President of the Board: Gunn-Elin Aa. Bjørneboe
Secretary General: Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross
Visiting adress: Tullins gate 2, Oslo.
Postal adress: P.b. 4 Sentrum,
N-0101 Oslo, Norway
Phone: +47 815 70 477
Fax. +47 22 86 66 10, www.kreftforeningen.no
Introduction
The Norwegian Cancer Society (NCS) is a nationwide organisation for voluntary efforts against cancer in Norway. The association is non-religious and independent of partisan politics. All activities are based on collected funds. Around 100 000 members and 30 000 donors support the activities of the society. This broad support makes us the leading voluntary organisation in the field of cancer in Norway, and has contributed to decisive progress in the fields of research, care and prevention.
The society cooperates with eight patients’ associations, and funds the major part of the activities of these associations.
Main goals
- to help reduce the incidence of cancer
- to contribute to ensuring an increased survival rate
- to ensure the optimal quality of life for cancer patients and their next of kind
Fields of activity
- cancer research in a wide sense
- health information
- assistance to cancer patients and next of kind
- advocacy for the cancer cause
- international cooperation
Research
NCS is a major contributor to cancer research in Norway and acts as a driving force for broad based research of high international standard, to ensure optimum diagnosis and treatment of cancer. I 2006 the Society’s contribution was NOK 126 million. NCS does not run its own research institutions. The research activity is integrated with the research carried out at universities, regional colleges and the main hospitals in Norway. Before granting support, the Society makes sure that each project proposal is subjected to detailed professional evalution.
5 professional committees consider all applications:
- Basic research, with emphasis on cell biology
- Cancer-relevant basic research in the disciplines morphology, immunology, virology and
cytogenetics. - Experimental research directed at therapeutic and prophylactic principles, including
nutrition studies. - Combined clinical and basic research projects, using methodologies from both types of
research. - Clinical studies within diagnostics and treatment, plus epidemiological and preventive
studies
The committees assessments are coordinated by the Research Committee before being submitted to the NCS’ board for final decision.
Patient support
The NCS continued in 2006 its nation-wide efforts to improve the quality of patient care and support, and achieve a more equal distribution of services for cancer patients and their relatives. The Cancer Helpline did in 2006 receive over 17 000 inquires from cancer patients, relatives, health professionals and the public in general. The seven NCS counselling centers in the main cities from north to south, also received many enquires from patients, relatives and health professionals. The counselling centres also hosted educational courses for these groups.
Prevention
The educational activities on no tobacco, physical health, how to reduce skin cancer, how to attain healthy diets and programs on smokefree schools, have been continued. Two smoking cessations programs have been evaluated, both will be continued due to good results.
International collaboration
Two per cent of the NCS’s expected revenues – corresponding to around NOK 5 million – are earmarked by the Board for international activities. These funds should primarly be devoted to rendering cancer visible as an increasing international challenge. In 2006 most of the recources has been put into cancerpreventive projects in Africa and Northwest Russia.
Lobbying activities
An increasing number of areas of legislation become more important to NCS and cancer policy. An essential task for Norwegian Cancer Society is on a regular basis to inform and influence the public authorities and the public policy-makers who formulate policy related to the activities of NCS, cancer patients, health policy and more. In 2006 we met political leaders of departments concerning health and cancer, and attended four different hearings in relevant Parliament committees, about the national budget. We also invited three Parliament committees to our main office in Oslo.