It has been another busy and successful year for ICCCPO, as I hope you will see from this report and the information that will flow from the Annual General Assembly in September. There is still a great deal to be done, but our plans are based on achieving our mission of best treatment and care for children, and their families, everywhere in the world. I believe our growing membership gives ICCCPO the mandate to represent the global interests of parent and patients, and we will continue to work with organisations such as SIOP to this end.

It has been a difficult year for me personally and so I am grateful for the hard work and support of the Executive Committee and the continuing support of Gerlind Bode, Johan Sandal, Pia Bonini, Rosanna Lupieri and Julian Cutland.

Our mid-year meeting in Monza was a success due to the support of the parent organisation, Comitato MariaLetizia Verga, and the professional team including Giuseppe Masera. I would like to thank the Luxembourg parent group, Een Häerz kriibskrank Kanner, for its dedication in organising the 2001 ICCCPO conference.

Finally, I would like to thank the Secretariat, and especially Janet Evans, for their support again this year.

Annual Report of the Executive Committee, 2000-2001

The Annual General Assembly 2000 was attended by 24 member nations and ratified the election of 11 new member organisations, representing Mexico, Cuba, Russia, Australia, Bangladesh, Luxembourg, Colombia, Iran, South Africa and Ireland.

The object of ICCCPO is to help children with cancer get access to the best possible treatment and care. In practice, the needs of families  in each member country differ immensely. In developed countries much effort is now concentrated on psychosocial care- welfare, education, emotional and long-term survivor support. In developing countries, parent organisations are striving to educate doctors and families about diagnosis of cancer, and giving support to help families to travel to a centre, if it exists, for treatment or to buy drugs.

ICCCPO is helping parent organisations against this varied background of needs.

In 2000-2001 the Executive Committee has focused on the following:

The ICCCPO Newsletter is the forum for parent organisations to share and communicate. The Newsletter is distributed three times a year by mail and email.

New is the ICCCPO-Link that gives a flavour of the ICCCPO newsletter and can be published in local and national newsletters. ICCCPO-Link is distributed by e-mail. The ICCCPO Website (www.icccpo.org) has been moved to another server to provide better access and to put more information on it. Work will continue during the coming year to make this a key source of information for members.

The SIOP 2001 conference is in Brisbane in October - too far away, and too expensive for most ICCCPO members to attend. Therefore, the ICCCPO 2001conference is being held in Luxembourg in September, where the parent organisation and Government are supporting the attendance of members from developing countries. A local ICCCPO conference has also been organised at SIOP 2001 to maintain the beneficial link of professionals and parents at the same location.

Executive Committee members have been invited to regional meetings and attended whenever possible.

Focus this year has been on recruitment in Europe, and new contacts in Arabic and Mediterranean countries, and Africa.  The Brisbane conference provides an opportunity to reach out to Asia and the Pacific region.

An up-to-date information base on ICCCPO members is being developed. Members will be asked to complete a questionnaire in support of this initiative.

The Executive Committee wants as many members as possible retain voting rights, which requires a minimum membership fee. One way to achieve this is through twinning developed and developing

countries.

New applications for membership will be presented at the ICCCPO AGA in September.

*  GACCC (Global Alliance for the Cure of Childhood Cancer). ICCCPO attended a conference of 12

international organisations in February 2001 to look at working together in support of a common cause.

*  In South Africa, the parent organisation (CHOC) has worked with professionals on issuing an Early Warning Signs statement to local doctors - with the aim of diagnosing childhood cancer at an early stage.

This significant development is supported by SIOP and has worldwide application.

*  ICCCPO supports members with small resources by lowering their fees (on application), offering stipends to attend the ICCCPO annual and regional conferences, and through twinning. An initiative to extend the work initiated by Giuseppe Masera through the Sponsor a Child programme will be presented at the ICCCPO 2001 conference.

*  ICCCPO officers are actively involved in planning conferences in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

ICCCPO and SIOP work together on a range of subjects:

*  ICCCPO conferences at international and continental SIOP

*  Liaison at the GACCC Working on Guidelines for Care

*  Liaison on Sponsor a Child programme

*  Executive Committee meeting with SIOP leadership

*  Talks to build a common internet portal

The first international survivors meeting will be held at the ICCCPO 2001 conference in Luxembourg.

The Executive Committee is writing a project on healthy lifestyles for survivors which may receive funding from the European Union.

The ICCCPO world poster is produced by CHOC, SA.

The Annual Report is funded by the Lisa Thaxter Trust, UK

Proposals for a Childhood Cancer Day will be presented at the ICCCPO 2001 AGA. The aim is to raise awareness, to support members in their local fund-raising, and to attract a sponsor to support ICCCPO activities at an international level.

The Executive Committee met in Monza and Luxembourg.

A Business Plan is being developed to support the differing needs of members. Proposals will be presented at the AGA.

In between meetings we were able to work efficiently through email and through the support of the ICCCPO Secretariat in Canada.  (courtesy of Candlelighters).