Activities
The Finnish Cancer Organisations works in a totally unique way. It is a forum for every actor in comprehensive cancer control in Finland, bringing together scientists, clinicians, decision-makers, financial experts, volunteer helpers and patients.
Below you will find more detailed information on Finnish Cancer Organisations activities.
The Cancer Society of Finland is also a provider of clinical services and practical help and rehabilitation. It has ambulatory cancer clinics and cytology/pathology laboratories. The Society offers cancer screening, prevention and counselling. It has started hospices and helplines and offers rehabilitation services through its organisational network.
Patient support
The Cancer Society of Finland is the foremost advocate for better cancer control and more effective therapies when treating cancer in Finland. It works, together with patients, for a better quality of life for cancer survivors.
Regional societies have a proud history of helping patients to cope with their disease by offering rehabilitation and recreational courses. They also give counselling locally in their offices.
Also the regional cancer societies support the patients and organise activities for them. With collaboration and specialised activities the organisations develop patient support together with the Cancer Society of Finland.
Councelling
There has been an active rehabilitation policy in Finland since the 1970's, and the Cancer Society is responsible for developing it still further at national level.
Nationwide, the Society offers counselling by telephone and e-mail. The helpline responds to questions from the general public about health and cancer. The specialist nurses of the help line received 3200 calls and 800 e-mail messages in 2004.
The Cancer Society of Finland publishes the journal Syöpä-Cancer six times a year. The magazine, which has a circulation of 134.000, gives topical information on cancerous diseases and serves as a link between cancer organisations, research activities and cancer patients. Its stance on public health care issues is based on the patient's point of view.
Volunteers
Numerous volunteers carry out the Finnish Cancer Organisation's mission of reducing the physical and psychological burdens of cancer and improving quality of life for those facing the disease. Volunteers work on all organisational levels. They give their knowledge and experience in governing bodies, research evaluation, education, health promotion and patient support.
Volunteers donate their time in organising events and supporting cancer research. They promote cancer prevention, work actively in fundraising, and write articles for the bi-monthly magazine of cancer organisations. They are the experts and provide personal and individual knowledge on how to survive cancer.
These volunteers are appreciated as highly as any professional in the Society. This ingenious co-operation between laypersons and the professionals gives the Cancer Society of Finland its unique strength and popularity.
Research funding
The Cancer Society of Finland, the Cancer Foundation and the Finnish Foundation for Cancer Research are the largest source of private, non-profit cancer research funds in Finland. Since its establishment in 1948, the Cancer Foundation has been able to increase its support for research due to the wise and trustworthy management of its funds, thus attracting new bequests.
In the year 2005, a total of 3 million euros was donated to research, including two grants of 200.000 euros, each for long-term research. Since the start of the 21st century, cancer organisations have given over 17 million euros to cancer research.
The research program is based on evaluated projects in leading medical and scientific institutions across Finland.
International Co-operation
The Cancer Society of Finland is one of the major players in Finland's international participation in cancer control.
The Cancer Society of Finland is in close collaboration with international cancer organisations, mainly with the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), Association of the European Cancer Leagues (ECL) and the Nordic Cancer Union (NCU). The Finnish Cancer Registry is active in international registry organisations and International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC). At the World Health Organisation, Cancer Society of Finland took active part in the negotiation rounds of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
The Cancer Society of Finland bore the major burden of responsibility in organising the 1st European Tobacco Conference and the 12th World Conference on Tobacco Or Health. At a European level, the Society has been an active contributor in the projects and networks supported by the European Union, such as Europe Against Cancer and European Network for Smoking Prevention (ENSP).
