Isabel Mestres, CEO of City Cancer Challenge, shared on LinkedIn:
“What if some of the most overlooked opportunities to improve cancer care lie outside the healthcare system?
Writing this from Mexico City airport, after an intense week of conversations at the World Health Summit, Fast-Track Cities and the International Conference on Urban Health. So many ideas to digest that I’ve decided to share my reflections in two posts.
Here is my first, on urban health. Where I felt surprisingly at home.
For once, I didn’t have to explain why we work through cities at C/Can. Everyone understood something we have learned over the past decade:
Cities are where evidence meets reality, where solutions can be adapted and implemented, and where local experience can inform national policy.
But what struck me most was how much cancer care has in common with other urban challenges.
Think about a woman diagnosed with cancer. Her chances of receiving treatment depend not only on the hospital, but also on whether she can get there, afford to miss work, find childcare and navigate disconnected services.
And long before diagnosis, the air she breathes, the food available to her and whether her neighbourhood encourages physical activity all influence her health.
We have organised our services around sectors and institutions. But people dont live their lives that way. What if we started designing our cities, services and investments around peoples journeys instead?
This is what excites me about bringing oncology into urban health conversations. I was particularly pleased to be joined by Gabriel Cortes Alcala, Secretary of Health of Guanajuato State, and Dr. Bustamante, Director General of Health of León, who shared their experiences and perspectives on working with C/Can to strengthen cancer care.
Their voices brought these conversations about local leadership and implementation to life.
Thank you Elia Lara Lona, Maria F Navarro and all the City Cancer Challenge (C/Can) team who has supported me in the distance this week!”
You can also read:
How Cities Can Transform Cancer Care Through Stronger Health Systems? – City Cancer Challenge
