Ulrika Årehed Kågström, President of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), Secretary General at Cancerfonden, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“One of the most powerful moments at this week’s US–Sweden Cancer Summit was listening to Birgitta Ohlsson Klamberg share her personal experience of navigating cancer care in both Sweden and the United States. Her reflections were moving, insightful and a powerful reminder that, regardless of how advanced our healthcare systems become, cancer care must always start with the needs and experiences of the individual.
It was a privilege to join Birgitta in the opening fireside chat, moderated by Erik Ullenhag, Consul General of Sweden in New York. Together, we discussed the importance of patient voices, people-centred care, research, innovation and international collaboration in shaping the future of cancer care.
As President of Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and Secretary General of Cancerfonden, I was especially encouraged by the strong focus on people-centred care throughout the summit. It reflects the vision behind UICC’s World Cancer Declaration and the message of World Cancer Day – United by Unique, recognising that every person affected by cancer has unique needs, experiences and priorities.
The summit brought together an impressive group of leaders and experts from across Sweden and the United States. It was inspiring to exchange ideas with representatives from organisations including the National Cancer Institute (NCI), New York University Langone Health, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), American Cancer Society, and many other institutions committed to advancing cancer research and improving outcomes for patients.
I was also honoured to meet Christine J. Toretti, US Ambassador to Sweden, whose participation highlighted the strength of the partnership between our countries and the shared commitment to accelerating progress against cancer.
A particularly exciting milestone was the launch of the KI–NYULH Metastasis Alliance, a groundbreaking collaboration between Karolinska Institutet and NYU Langone Health that will strengthen research into metastatic cancer and help bring new discoveries closer to patients.
The summit demonstrated what is possible when researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, patient advocates and civil society come together around a common goal. Cancer does not recognise borders, and neither should our efforts to beat it.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to such an inspiring and forward-looking meeting. The relationships, ideas and commitments strengthened this week will help drive progress for years to come.
Thank you Albin Håkansson for the photos!”
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