Blog & News
We are rare, but together we are stronger!
Together, two Brazilian desmoid tumor patients, Carolina Menezes and Georgia Garofalo, founded Desmoide Brasil in 2021. In the years since then, Desmoide Brasil has – among other things — hosted symposia, organized an exhibition, launched a patient registry, penned a welcoming booklet for new patients, and established a thriving online community on Facebook and WhatsApp. Their story is an inspiration!
First Webinar “What is a Sarcoma?” in Spanish and Portuguese, March 22, 2024!
Nos complace anunciar nuestro primer webinar para pacientes con sarcoma, cuidadores y defensores de pacientes de AmĂ©rica Central y del Sur, realizado en español y portuguĂ©s por especialistas en sarcoma de Argentina y Brasil en esta ocasiĂłn. El webinar tendrá lugar el…
EU-X-CT – Patient Questionnaire – Borders should not be barriers to clinical trials
The EU-X-CT initiative aims at revolutionizing patient access to clinical trials across borders. But before we delve into the project details, we want to emphasize something crucial – your participation! The data is being collected through a Patient Questionnaire which is available…
Should I join a clinical trial?
When you have been diagnosed with sarcoma you are faced with making important, and at times daunting decisions about treatment. Amongst the treatment choices, a clinical trial may be an option. But how do you know if it is a good option for you? Is it something you should even consider? Denise Reinke asks 6 key questions about clinical trials and provides helpful answers for sarcoma patients to consider.
No Losers Here!
War metaphors are used all the time in the context of cancer. “You’re a fighter! You got this!”, people say to a newly diagnosed patient.
And the war metaphors seem to imply that if someone succumbs to cancer, it’s because they didn’t fight hard enough, or worse, gave up – “He lost his battle against cancer.” Many point out that such expectations are an additional burden placed upon a person who is already undergoing so much. But I wonder: Can the use of war metaphors be of help to us sarcoma patients as we strive to take an active role in our treatment?
Reflections for the New Year
2023 was a big year for SPAGN and the sarcoma patient community as a whole. We look back on the highlights of all that we achieved together and the many ways in which we grew, as we look to the year ahead.
Insights from the EMA and EORTC Workshop on Developing Treatments for Ultra-Rare Sarcomas
Author: Gerry Feeney How can we develop new treatments in ultra-rare sarcomas, as a model for ultra-rare tumors? On January 12, 2024, a workshop between regulators, researchers and patient advocates was held at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) premises in Amsterdam.…
SPAGN Annual Conference Registrations Are Now Open – Secure Your Spot Today!
Registration for SPAGN Annual Conference 2024 Is Now Open We are thrilled to announce that registration is now open for the SPAGN Annual Conference 2024, a radiant exchange of knowledge and inspiration for the global sarcoma community! Join us for this transformative…
From Glasgow to Guyana
Anyone who has a sarcoma or a suspected sarcoma should be seen by sarcoma specialists. This is what we advocates say over and over again in the hope that patients will have better treatment outcomes. Yet in many countries of the world there is no doctor with such expertise. Every year, a Scotland-based orthopedic surgeon and sarcoma expert dedicates part of his leave to teaching and operating in countries where patients do not have access to a specialist surgeon. Here we tell the story of an amazing volunteer initiative.
Submissions open for 2023/24 Advocacy in Action Awards
Each year SPAGN awards special recognition to member groups advancing patient rights and improving patient support. The submissions are OPEN for 2023/2024 projects. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges and announced at the 2024 SPAGN Annual Conference in Rome.