In the wake of a groundbreaking gathering, we’re thrilled to bring you the highlights from the very first All.Can conference in Israel, where stakeholders from across the spectrum of cancer care convened for a day of heartfelt dialogue, shared insights, and strategic planning aimed at revolutionizing cancer treatment in Israel.
Understanding the Urgency: Cancer casts a long shadow over Israel, claiming far too many lives each year. With incidence rates among the highest globally, and an aging population poised to drive further increases, the imperative for action has never been clearer. Against this backdrop, the All.Can conference stands as a rallying call for unity and innovation in the fight against cancer.
The Conference Unveiled: On March 27, 2024, history was made as stakeholders from every corner of Israel’s cancer community converged for All.Can’s Cancer Collective Collaboration conference. Divided into two dynamic segments: “Thinking and Influencing” and “Meeting and Sharing” – the event promised not just to inform, but to ignite tangible change.
Thinking and Influencing: In a departure from traditional conference formats, participants found themselves seated around roundtables, face-to-face with colleagues they might never encounter in their day-to-day work. Oncologists, patient advocates, policymakers, the Survivors’ community and caregivers engaged in open, candid discussions aimed at identifying solutions to the most pressing challenges in cancer care.
The 20 round tables were co-hosted by leaders in their field and addressed critical aspects of cancer care and support. Discussions ranged from integrating complementary medicine into cancer treatment processes and promoting wellness among patients to enhancing patient experiences and advocating for early detection and prevention strategies. Other topics included patient engagement in influencing policies and treatment, initiatives for patient recovery and healing, and addressing unmet needs in the care of children, palliative care, and support for caregivers.
The sessions also emphasized collaboration between organizations and sectors to strengthen the impact for the benefit of cancer patients, as well as addressing equity in healthcare and the unique needs of young cancer patients. Overall, these discussions aimed to identify challenges, propose solutions, and improve the quality of care and support for cancer patients and their families.
Meeting and Sharing: In the context of lively discourse, the conference also played host to Israel’s first-ever cancer organizations fair—an insight into the country’s rich tapestry of services and solutions available to cancer patients where 50 organizations showcased their missions and achievements up-to-date.
Looking Ahead: Igniting tangible change
As we bid farewell to the inaugural All.Can conference, we carry forward the spirit of collaboration and innovation that defined the day. The conference concluded with shared insights of nearly 100 tangible outcomes from the roundtables. Many of which were highly revered, such as positioning a Patient’s Navigator role within the national HMOs, initiating a hackathon to produce Cancer Patient’s Apps, and securing a multisectoral coalition. These findings are the cornerstones of a combined mission, they act as the strategic map for joint actionable steps in the future. As our plan takes shape, we continue to communicate and invite all stakeholders to persist in lending their expertise, passion, and unwavering commitment to the cause. Together, we can—and will—transform the landscape of cancer care in Israel.
