On June 30 at the DiCE General Assembly, Member Organisations will be asked to vote for their new Board Members. These are people Members would like to have represent them in making strategic decisions for DiCE. Please find below answers to key questions from the four current candidates – to help with the voting decision.

Are you interested in representing Members and putting your mark on DiCE’s strategic path? You can still put forward your candidature by June 10 – find more information.

Current Candidates

Jenni Tamminen

Could you please tell us about yourself?

I am a spirited lady who observes the world with the curious mind of a biochemist and a pharmacist and whose driving force during my whole working career has been to help people in vulnerable positions, particularly people with cancer.

What are you bringing to DiCE and its Members as a potential Board Member?

I have worked for the past six years as an executive director of a national organisation, meaning that I work closely with the patients and carers but also take care of the operational lead and finances of the organisation.  In my position, I can bring both the experiences from the patients and carers as well as the experience and new trends and ways of leadership and working life, both needed on the DiCE Board. Due to my past mandate, I know what I am running for – I know about the time and energy required but also about the lovely moments of great teamwork and feelings of success that it offers.

What is your vision for bettering the lives of digestive cancer patients and for saving people from these diseases across Europe?

That together we are strong, it is important to build and act as a strong European organisation with a mandate to demand equal cancer care and holistic support across Europe – and this in terms of access and in terms of treatment options. We must strive for holistic support that takes into consideration all the areas of life and all the people that cancer has an impact on – the patients, carers, and the larger public.

Lieve Wierinck

Could you please tell us about yourself?

I was born in Belgium in 1957 and am a mother of three children and a grandmother of four. I worked for 30 years as a pharmacist and for three years as a member of the Belgian national parliament. Afterwards, I then continued with three years as a member of the European Parliament. In 2011 I received the diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) stage III and underwent a full treatment of one year (chemo, radio, stoma,…).

What are you bringing to DiCE and its Members as a potential Board Member?

I bring my multifaceted experience as:

1. A patient
2. A politician
3. A chemist
4. A person who has had CRC and worked at the same time

What is your vision for bettering the lives of digestive cancer patients and for saving people from these diseases across Europe?

• That we need to give a choice to cancer patients as to whether they want to continue working or to stay at home
• Get cancer screening up to scratch in every member state
• Strive to make the quality of life as good as possible for every cancer patient across Europe
• Keeping the patients in the forefront of our mind always, we need to work together with industry partners, researchers, politicians and the European Commission to advocate for change.

Nicole Liscia

Could you please tell us about yourself ?

I’m a Sardinian lady who likes to call herself extroverted and energetic. I always try to keep an open mind. I’m attracted by movement, evolution and knowledge in all its forms. Last November, I achieved the post-graduate degree in Medical Oncology. Since childhood I’ve felt this is what I wanted to do, and I have worked hard to get there.

What are you bringing to DiCE and its Members as a potential Board Member?

1. I offer my combined scientific knowledge in Oncology with real clinical experience with patients.
2. DICE represents patients and I put patients first, trying to be a guide, building a trusting relationship, in the path they will cross.
3. I can promote simple and immediate communication and information to the public about neoplastic disease, including to patients and carers.
4. My dedication to ensuring the needs of the patients in relation to their quality of life are heard, even when they are misunderstood or underestimated.
5. My approach to patient care and helping their carers, being gentle yet honest, through comprehensive communication, while trying to perceive and respect the information they transmit to me.

What is your vision for bettering the lives of digestive cancer patients and for saving people from these diseases across Europe?

Firstly, I will work to validate a pathway for patients that is as personalised as possible for the different stages of the disease. One that is built together with them, directly collecting the critical issues that affect their lives.

As a physician, better survival for these patients goes hand in hand with the growth of translational research. Expanding the information on digestive cancers promotes both prevention (focusing on risk factors and screening) and further research by publicising results of clinical trials that have changed the prognosis of these patients. At the same time, to continue assiduously researching potential factors and consequent therapeutic applications that can improve patient outcomes.

Cyril Sarrauste de Menthiere

Could you please tell us about yourself?

I was working in health biology research, when at 50 I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. I realized that I knew nothing about it, and that communication with the patient was close to zero.

So I joined an association ‘Mon Réseacu Cancer Colorectal’, to share everything I had learned by myself during and after the treatments.

What are you bringing to DiCE and its Members as a potential Board Member?

• France has only one association of colorectal cancer patients. I am the co-responsible/Director.
• I am involved, through my work, in fundamental and clinical cancer research structures. I am registered this year at the University of Patients (Paris, France) for a diploma “Patient partner and referent in recovery in oncology”
• I want to make digestive cancers known and talk and bring light to post-treatment side effects. They remain too unknown and taboo in my view.
• Thanks to communication, we must improve the rates of early screening: for this, I am giving my scientific advice to a start-up offering a digital solution to help with screening.
• It is by being numerous, multi-national, Europeans that we will push the boundaries of medical care, of access to care, FOR ALL.

What is your vision for bettering the lives of digestive cancer patients and for saving people from these diseases across Europe?

We can only save lives and improve the lives of those post-treatment by having strong, open and uninhibited communication. Communication that talks to European citizens about screening and motivates them to get screened, communication that explains the state of research and gives access to these treatments as early as possible without people having to wait for years. Also we need to make democracy for health a European reality and I believe this can only be made possible by involving patients at the heart of healthcare decision-making.

Alina Comanescu

Could you please tell us about yourself ?

High-calibre Communications Executive with over 13 years of multinational experience in public and private sectors. Active for the past 9 years in the cancer patient advocacy field, both national and EU level. I created a cancer patient advocacy strategy amid the complex political, cultural and regulatory landscape of Romania.

What are you bringing to DiCE and its Members as a potential Board Member?

I have extensive knowledge of the political process and also the ability to analyze policies to look for ways to make improvements and to help develop new health policies that meet DiCE’s objectives.

• Throughout my career, I have worked and liaised with a wide range of stakeholders: representatives of European institutions, patient organisations, policy makers, pharmaceutical companies, medical and professional societies, academia, non-governmental organizations and action groups.
• I am interested in creating value alignment with stakeholders and generating results: earlier access, lower taxes, acceptable prices, harmonised legislation & HTA.
• My experience is extensive in providing effective mechanisms for receiving and responding to patient input, efficient planning to ensure that services really meet patients/carers needs and priorities between all stakeholders.
• Previous experience as Board member and consultant within other EU umbrella organisation active in various cancer fields.

What is your vision for bettering the lives of digestive cancer patients and for saving people from these diseases across Europe?

Take measures to screen what is preventable, to optimise the digestive cancers patients` pathway and support their quality of life and the right to be forgotten.

Patient centricity approach – patient participation can be the originator for Europe`s Beating Cancer Plan implementation, and guarantee a more patient-centred view.

We would like to thank all the candidates and wish them good luck!

Would you like more information on this topic? Please contact us.

Author:
Catie Young