When their eight-year-old son Shane passed away from osteosarcoma, Cédric Bochsler and his wife Sarah Jane chose to honour his memory by founding an association dedicated to raising awareness, funding research and supporting families affected by this rare cancer. At the occasion of the Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Cédric tells us how they turned their loss into advocacy for osteosarcoma research and support.

Advances in understanding sarcoma can change the lives of patients – particularly, if the research is result of the efforts and energy of people affected by sarcoma themselves. For Dr. Sorrel Bickley, the Director of Research, Policy and Support of Sarcoma UK, it is crucial to focus on the research that could make the most difference for patients. She lost her mum to a sarcoma, which influenced her career path as research scientist. Sorrel tells us about feeling proud of what the charity has achieved, but even more excited about what’s to come.

As patient advocates, we do not promote non-standard therapies, yet in practice you probably have encountered cases of cancer patients or their family turning to so-called ‘alternative’ natural therapies. They may be desperate, because standard treatments are not working for them or their loved one. Others may be convinced that only ‘natural’ remedies should be used and reject chemotherapy or other medical therapies because they are not found in nature. Roger Wilson scrutinizes some of the approaches marketed in social media and elsewhere although they are not supported by evidence. He also gives examples of natural compounds that are scientifically tested in cancer treatment.

Global cooperation is not an abstract ideal, says Dr. Fernando Campos, medical oncologist from Brazil. He describes the positive impact of international exchange projects on the daily practice of sarcoma care in his country. This is why he hopes that the Sarcoma Awareness Month serve not only to raise awareness, but also to bring us closer together. A reminder of our collective commitment.

July is Sarcoma Awareness Month – a time to not only spotlight a rare and often misunderstood form of cancer but also to amplify stories of resilience, hope and innovation. San¬¬deep Kumar tells his personal story as a bone sarcoma survivor from rural India that has turned into a story of breaking barriers for others. Knowing firsthand what it means to battle cancer in a small town, he endeavored to mobilize technology and experts to bridge the gap between rural patients and quality healthcare.

The winner of this year’s research grant of the German Sarcoma Foundation, Dr. Siyer Roohani, decided to go to Canada to deepen his sarcoma expertise. A soon-to-be radiation oncology specialist for sarcoma in Germany, he currently works and researches as a clinical scholar at one of the largest sarcoma centres in the world, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Canada. In a chat with Voices of Sarcoma, he explains why he totally encourages any young scientist to do a work stay abroad, especially those wanting to specialize in sarcoma.