Blog & News
Facilitating Collaboration in Sarcoma Care
In this interview, SPAGN Communications Director Cory Archibald speaks with Dr. Bernd Kasper, to learn about the role of patient advocacy groups like SPAGN in strengthening global cooperation to improve patient outcomes.
Advocacy in Action Award 2022: The Winners
Patient advocacy ensures that people are heard, take action and ultimately improve situations, achieve changes or help to fulfil unmet medical needs. We want to celebrate and honour outstanding practices, projects, initiatives or campaigns and the creators working behind these activities…
5 Questions Every Patient Should Ask When Searching for Information about Sarcoma
Getting a sarcoma diagnosis is a life-altering event that brings a wave of emotions and questions. Once the initial shock subsides, many patients turn to the internet in search of information about their disease. Despite the common advice of “Whatever you do, don’t google it!”, seeking information about your disease and its treatment can be empowering. Instead of discouraging patients from seeking information, it’s important to guide them towards reliable sources of information and support them in becoming health literate.
What Makes Sarcoma so Challenging?
July is Sarcoma Awareness Month. The aim is to promote an understanding of sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that originates in the connective tissues of the body, such as bones, muscles, and nerves. Unfortunately, sarcomas pose major challenges in diagnosis, management, treatment and research. Sarcoma Awareness Month highlights the goals of the sarcoma community in overcoming these challenges.
Three Patient Advocacy Award Winners and One Sponsor
Three truly impressive initiatives received this year’s Advocacy in Action Awards of the Sarcoma Patients Advocacy Global Network (SPAGN). With the awards, the organization honors outstanding practices, projects, initiatives or campaigns, and the individuals working behind these activities.
Read the stories of Sandeep Kumar from the DigiSwhastya Foundation; Angelika Sandakly of Info Sarcomes (France); and Alberto Martinez Gutierrez from the Fundación Mari Paz Jimenez Casado (Spain). Last but not least, find out what motivated Ornella Gonzato of the Paola Gonzato-Rete Sarcoma Foundation (Italy) to sponsor the prizes.
Our latest SPAGN Newsletter is out!
The sarcoma community is active – there’s lots for you to check out, to join and make your voice heard as well. Read all updates in in the sarcoma world and SPAGN in our latest newsletter (April 2023) here. Learn more…
How the Pandemic Produced a Sustainable Resource for Sarcoma Patients in India
Sachin Sarcoma Society, a SPAGN Member Group based in India, shares a guest blog about building support networks and overcoming the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Your priorities in sarcoma research – make your voice heard!
The need for patient involvement in scientific research is curcial as there is a mismatch between what patients, clinicians, and researchers would want to see researched, and what is actually being researched. It is our aim to bridge this mismatch and open up the discussion…
Portrait of a Patient Advocate: Kai Pilgermann
Would you like to know more about what sarcoma advocates around the world are doing and working on?
We at Voices of Sarcoma want to introduce you to the advocates from our member groups.
Recently, we interviewed Kai Pilgermann from the German Sarcoma Foundation.
Improving Communication between Patients and Oncologists, Part 2: Tips for Getting it Right
Focusing on the goals we share with our oncologist — treatment success and good quality of life — can help us to overcome communication challenges.
We can also adopt strategies for optimizing communication. These strategies involve a set of good habits and effective behaviors.
Here are eight tips for improving communication.