2005 Global Summit: Biosketches of Participants

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Below is information about some of the participants. More bios will be added later.

Benjamin O. Anderson Ute-Susann Albert Brother Charles S. Anthony Justus P. Apffelstaedt Baffour Awuah Zeba Aziz Rajendra A. Badwe Rob Baultussen Ana Jovicevic Bekic Arturo Beltrán-Ortega Rafael Bengoa F Nuran Senel Bese José Bines Susan Braun Maira Caleffi Robert W. Carlson Robert M. Chamberlain Tony Hsiu-His Chen Louis Chow Jamie G. de la Garza-Salazar Stephen W. Duffy Alexandru Eniu Kathleen M. Errico

Leticia María Fernández Margaret I. Fitch Dido Franceschi Gail Geller Alicia Gimeno Martijn T. Groot Joe Harford Gabriel N. Hortobágyi Julio Alberto Ibarra Raimund Jakesz Kardinah Ranjit Kaur Arun Kurkure Eun Sook Lee Laura Liberman Susan M. London Richard Reed Love Riccardo Masetti Shahla Masood A. Nandakumar Lennarth Nyström Sherif Omar Mary Onyango

Vahit Özmen Maxwell Parkin Gheorghe C. Peltecu Paola Pisani Augustine Quashigah Scott Ramsey Larissa Remennick Sylvia Robles Hélène Sancho-Garnier R. Sankaranarayanan Cecilia Sepúlveda Roman Shyyan Robert A. Smith Tatiana Soldak Helge Stalsberg Leslie Sullivan Vivien Davis Tsu Hernan I. Vargas László Vass Bhadrasain Vikram Cheng-Har Yip Mei-yu Yu

Benjamin O. Anderson, MD
Chair and Director, The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI)
Global Summit Presenter
Joint Associate Member
Epidemiology, Public Health Sciences Division
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery
Director, Breast Health Center
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington

"We have a wealth of knowledge about saving lives from breast cancer when we have all the resources in place. ^The Breast Health Global Initiative addresses how to put into practice optimal breast healthcare measures in countries where healthcare resources, and awareness, are limited, and where cultural barriers need to be overcome."

Dr. Anderson is Professor of Surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle. He was recruited to join the University of Washington Breast Care and Cancer Research Program in 1994 and served as the breast program's Clinical Medical Director from 1998 to 2003. As the Director of the University of Washington's Breast Health Center, Dr. Anderson's has devoted his clinical practice to the care of patients with breast cancer and breast health issues. Dr. Anderson received the American Cancer Society Career Development Award for breast cancer research in 1995 and received a joint faculty appointment at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and from 1998 through 2001 served as Associate Program Head for the Hutchinson's Breast Cancer Research Program. In 2002, Dr. Anderson created ^The Breast Health Global Initiative, an international project to define guidelines for breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment in countries with limited health care resources. As the BGHI Chair and Director, Dr. Anderson has been working to integrate the development of practical breast health care guidelines into a research framework that will promote health care outcomes analysis.

Ute-Susann Albert, MD, MIAC
Global Summit Panelist
Head: Breast Center Region
Philipps-University Marburg
Dept. of Gynecology, gyn. Endocrinology / Oncology
Marburg, Germany

"I am involved in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative for a unified world wide effort to reduce the multifaceted burden of breast cancer. Comprehensive, quality assuring, innovative and creative disease-management-programs according to evidence- and consensus based guidelines, tailored to the national, regional and local needs, are the most promising problem-solving approaches."

Dr. Ute-Susann Albert, is a gynecological oncologist and head of the Breast Centre Regio, Dept. of Gynecology, Gynecological Endocrinology & Oncology at the Philipps-University in Marburg, Germany. She graduated 1992 at the J.W. Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany after completion of her doctoral thesis 1991. She has been approved as a specialist for gynecology and obstetrics, for aspiration and extragenital cytology and for breast diagnostic imaging. She is a certified auditor for breast centers in Germany for the German Cancer Society and the German Society of Senology. Currently she is continuing her clinical work as an active member of the breast surgical team of the Breast Unit.

Dr. Ute-Susann Albert, is a gynecological oncologist and head of the Breast Centre Regio, Dept. of Gynecology, Gynecological Endocrinology & Oncology at the Philipps-University in Marburg, Germany. She graduated 1992 at the J.W. Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany after completion of her doctoral thesis 1991. She has been approved as a specialist for gynecology and obstetrics, for aspiration and extragenital cytology and for breast diagnostic imaging. She is a certified auditor for breast centers in Germany for the German Cancer Society and the German Society of Senology. Currently she is continuing her clinical work as an active member of the breast surgical team of the Breast Unit.

Dr. Albert is investigator and co-investigator of several clinical trials of breast cancer treatment. Her cytological research focuses on validation of cost-effective techniques to make a more wide spread use available of advances in minimal invasive breast diagnostic techniques such as core biopsy and sentinel lymph node biopsy. She has performed several population based research programs and studies: Prospective, longitudinal, population based cohort study for the regional health care management of cancer patients under special consideration of quality of life (Grant: German Ministry of Health Fö.Kz.: FB 2-43332-70/6, 1996-2001), Model project breast health in Hessian, Germany: Community Needs Assessment - prevention, early detection, treatment and surveillance of breast cancer - population based representative study in Hessen, Germany. She conducted a comprehensive educational program thereafter and has established a regional multi-professionell breast health network in Germany, with equal participation of advocacy and self-help groups ("Science in Public - Public in Science".Grant: Susan G. Komen for the Cure.) Her current research "Guideline Implementation for Early Diagnosis, Treatment and Follow-up Care of Breast Cancer - Study on Clinical Relevance and Quality of Life, Acronym: GET-QUALITY" aims to raise the standard of breast cancer care addressed to the needs of a rural country side in Germany, with currently 500 new cases of breast cancer each year by an IT-supported regional network. It focuses on outcome of breast cancer care and the quality of life of patients.

She has coordinated and written the methodological framework of the national systematic, evidence- and consensus- based " Guidelines for Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Germany" and the "Guideline on Women's Information." She served as reviewer for the German Ministry of Science and Research and the Terry Fox Cancer Grant in the United Arab Emirates. Dr. Albert has organized several national and international meetings and conferences e.g. Foundation of the World Society of Breast Health (WSBH) 1999, International Symposium of Breast Cancer 2002, Guideline Consensus Conferences: Irradiation after Mastectomy (1999), Women's Information (2002) and Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Germany (2001-2003).

Dr. Albert is member of the International Association of Cytology since 1996, a member of the Guideline Steering Commission for Concentrated Action "Breast Cancer Early Detection in Germany" since its foundation 1999 and member of the scientific advisory board of the German Senologic Society, the Hessian Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Hessian Affiliate (president 2001), member of the Governing Board of the Women's Health Coalition (WHC) and an active member of the Working Group 5 (breast cancer) for Aims of Health Care-Germany of the Society for Acturial Science and Modeling. She has served on the panel of the First Summit on Breast Cancer Guidelines for Countries with Limited Resources 2002 of the Global Breast Health Initiative.

Brother Charles S. Anthony
Recipient of Susan G. Komen for the Cure ADVOCATE TRAVELING SCHOLARSHIP
Director
Monastery Center for Disease Prevention "Panagia Philanthropini"
Ormylia, Chalkidike, Greece

Brother Charles S. Anthony is the Director General of the Monastery Center for Disease Prevention, Panagia Philanthropini, in Ormylia, Northern Greece. Born and raised in Missouri, he entered the monastic brotherhood of Simonos Petras on Mount Athos in 1986. In 1991 he was appointed Director of the Monastery Center in Ormylia, the philanthropic institution of the Holy Convent of the Annunciation of our Lady, by the Father Abbot, Elder Aimilianos, a major modern spiritual figure in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Since then, Brother Charlie, has served the Center as the chief administrator of the medical, spiritual and educational ministries.

These services are provided free of charge to the working class, immigrant and poor populations of the broader region of northern Greece. Among the various ministries and services of the Monastery Center of special love and care is the ministry for troubled and street youth. For more information about the Monastery Center and it's work see: www.ormyliacenter.gr.

Justus P. Apffelstaedt, MBA, FCS(SA), MMed, Dr.med.
Global Summit Panelist
Associate Professor of Surgery
Head: Surgical Oncology Service
South Africa. Department of Surgery
University of Stellenbosch
SOUTH AFRICA

"Breast cancer in the developed world a decreasing health problem due to a combination of screening and modern treatment brought about by women pressure. It is our collective responsibility to ensure, that these advances also reach the developing world. Here by now the majority of breast cancer deaths occurs; ignorance of breast health issues and lack of effective political activism by women in many paternalistic societies leading to under-resourcing for breast health need to be overcome. The Global Summit is the forum to engender world-wide collaboration to make advances in breast health available to all women."

The service has 10 professional staff in medical, surgical and radiation oncology; it is the tertiary referral center for 3 million inhabitants. In an environment of shrinking resources, introduced leading edge therapies: Intraoperative radiotherapy for breast cancer as one of the first institutions world-wide, same-session breast reconstruction after mastectomy as first institution in Africa, first in Africa with neo-adjuvant hormonal therapy for locally advanced breast cancer, largest reported experience world-wide with aggressive resection of locally advanced breast cancer followed by myocutaneous flap repair and establishing a program for genetic screening for cancer. Entrepreneurial Activities: Business plan development for structuring the commercial activities of the Medical Faculty of the University of Stellenbosch. Starting "The MammaSphere®", a company developing and distributing an applicator for high dose rate brachytherapy as definitive radiation in breast conserving therapy of breast cancer. Started The MammaClinic®, a clinic devoted to breast disease management, October 2002. Co-founded Cutting Edge Productions in July 1999. Cutting Edge Productions provided professional development for general practitioners in Southern Africa via interactive satellite TV. Started Cancer Research Fund, a site managing organization for research into pharmacotherapy of cancer, in 1995. Senior participant in "Joint Implementation of Management Structures" Process for rationalization of health services in the Province of the Western Cape (1996). Academia: Examiner for the Master's degree in surgery internationally and Fellowship of the College of Surgeons of South Africa. Undergraduate curriculum reform: Responsible for principles of oncology, breast diseases, head and neck oncology, salivary gland diseases, melanoma and sarcoma; co-responsible for thyroid and parathyroid diseases (1997 - 2001). Senior participant in Strategic Management Planning Process of the Medical Faculty of the University of Stellenbosch (1998). Led the master's theses of 12 registrars in surgery and radiation oncology. July 1994 to December 1994: International Surgical Oncology Fellowship, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, USA. June 1985 to June 1994: Resident and Junior Consultant Surgeon in Germany and South Africa. Scientific Output: July 2000: Contracted by National Department of Health to examine the current breast screening in South Africa to suggest a way forward to population screening for breast cancer. Sixteen articles in leading international, peer-reviewed journals. Twenty-three invited papers/panels at national/international meetings. Twenty-nine papers/posters/videos presented at national/international congresses. Doctorate Thesis on mechanisms of chemical carcinogenesis comprised the institution of a cell-culture based short-term assay for the evaluation of the carcinogenic potential of chemical compounds (University of Würzburg, Germany).

Baffour Awuah, MBSc. MBCh FCRAD ONC (SA)
Recipient, National Cancer Institute (NCI)/Global Summit Traveling Scholar Award
Radiation Oncologist and Head of Oncology Directorate
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Kumasi
Kumasi, Ghana

Dr. Baffour Awuah is a Radiation Oncologist and Head of Department, Directorate of Oncology at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana. He graduated from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, School of Medical Sciences, Kumasi in 1989 and obtained his FCRAD ONC (South Africa) in 1998.

Dr. Awuah's interest in Cancers started after he attended introduction to Cancer Epidemiology course, organized by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in the Gambia in1994. In 1995, he was awarded International Atomic Energy Agency fellowship to pursue Radiation Oncology training at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg South Africa. He completed this training successfully in 1998.

He returned home in 2000 as one of the three pioneers with Radiation Oncology Specialty to start the first Radiotherapy Centre in Ghana at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra. While at Korle Bu, he took active interest in spearheading the design of the draft and final policy document for the establishment of population based Cancer Registration in Ghana. Dr. Awuah is a pioneer member of the Clinical Staff who started the Breast Clinic at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana in 2001. Dr. Awuah was transferred to the Kumasi Radiotherapy in January 2004. He is actively engaged in collaborating with colleagues in other specialties in the hospital to establish Multidisciplinary Clinics at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. He is organizing cancer survivors at his Centre to start Patient Support Group in Kumasi. His research interest is in Breast and Cervical Cancer Epidemiology, parity and breast cancer, factors leading to late presentation of cancer patients. Dr. Awuah is a fellow of UICC, member of ESTRO, INCTR and International Gyaenacological Cancer Society.

Zeba Aziz, MD, MBBS
Global Summit Panelist
Professor & Head
Department Medical Oncology
Allama Iqbal Medical College
Breast Cancer Strategy Group, International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research (INCTR)
Lahore, Pakistan

"Despite the rising incidence of beast cancer in developing countries, no public health policies are in place to enhance awareness; leading to early detection and treatment. For us research is thus not a luxury, but a necessity. Having now been involved with medical and policy dimensions of breast cancer for over 15 years in a developing country, I am acutely aware of the dire need for international linkages and research to help us make inroads into influencing policy and improving the overall standard of breast cancer treatment available in countries like mine. I hope initiatives like ^The Breast Health Global Initiative can go a long way in helping us develop proper protocols as part of achieving our goals."

Dr. Zeba Aziz, is Professor & Head of Department Medical Oncology at Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan since 1993 prior to which she was at Sheikh Zayed Hospital. She trained in the United States after her medical education at the Fatima Jinnah Medical College, Lahore. After achieving the Board Certification in Internal Medicine and the sub-specialties of Hematology & Medical Oncology she returned to Pakistan in 1987 and pioneered the field of Medical Oncology in Pakistan.

Dr. Aziz has several refereed publications and numerous conference presentations, internationally and in Pakistan. Her research on the impact of socio-economic status on breast cancer in Pakistan was translated into several European languages and carried by major cancer research websites in the world. Her major interests are in breast cancer and hematological malignancies. She has been actively involved with the apex post-graduate institution, The College of Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan, in the development of Medical Oncology as a specialty. She is a member of American Society of Clinical Oncology, European Society of Medical Oncology, and American Society of Hematology. She is also a member of International Network of Cancer Treatment & Research in Developing Countries and member of their strategy group for breast cancers. She is a Council Member of Asia Pacific Cancer Control Society. Most recently she was a faculty at ACORD, the Asia-Pacific Oncology Research Development Workshop in Cairns, Australia.

Rajendra A. Badwe, MD, ENT, MBBS
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Professor & Head
Department of Surgical Oncology
Chief, Breast unit
Tata Memorial Hospital
Chief of Clinical Research Secretariat
Tata Memorial Hospital
Mumbai, India

"I am part of ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because as a Surgical Oncologist in a national cancer Institute in India, I believe that, the most robust evidence coupled with cost effectiveness analysis should influence guidelines in management of breast cancer rather than inequality of resources. Hi-tech does not essentially mean a better care and low technology interventions as practiced in developing countries with its low incidence of cancer could open novel but simple avenues for prevention, early detection and treatment of breast cancer.

Innovation in my opinion has two components, the first heuristics and the second process of refutation of hypothesis. In Einstein's words 'there is no logical path leading to the universal laws from where the world can be deduced. They can be reached by intuition, based upon something like an intellectual love of the objects of experiences'. The statement speaks of illogical nature of the origin of ideas and also suggests finite laws governing behaviour of gross as well as molecular. This is in a direct contradiction to the present day flow of ideas from reductionism. I wish to work on unifying ideas that collate and straddle all the information available today. And test the idea within the tenets of randomised clinical trials and other relevant study designs. Each of these steps is refined by interaction with experts in the field, students in the field and drawing from parallel sciences.

I have not thought of what impact the innovators programme may have on my career but I do feel it will refine ideas tossed across and expedite the process of refutation and probably leave clearer skies for blueskying by the next generation."

Rob Baultussen, PhD
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Associate Researcher
Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam
Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Dr. Baltussen is involved in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because of the economic evaluation of breast cancer control that he is currently undertaking. As part of the World Health Organization database on cost-effectiveness WHO-CHOICE (Choosing Interventions that are Cost-Effective), this project reports on the cost-effectiveness of different breast cancer control strategies in various epidemiological sub-regions in the world.

Rob Baltussen is an economist specialized in international health economics. After his graduation in 1994, he completed his PhD on the real world relevance of economic evaluation studies. Next, he gained experience in international health research at the grass-root level by a two-year assignment in Burkina Faso, where he led research on the measurement of health-related quality of life and quality of care. His research interests in international health were given another dimension by his position as senior health economist at the World Health Organization in Geneva from 2000-2003. At WHO, he was responsible for the development of WHO guidelines on cost-effectiveness analysis, overall costing methodology, and the cost-effectiveness analyses of HIV/Aids, TB, iron deficiency, and blindness control. He has also been involved in multiple training courses in Africa and Asia on health economics. As a consultant, he gained experience in Asia on the economics of nutrition programs. His current research at Erasmus University focuses on international health economics, more specifically: priority setting on the basis on sectoral cost-effectiveness analysis and equity in disease areas such as breast cancer, HIV/Aids and TB.

Ana Jovicevic Bekic, MD, MSc
Global Summit Panelist
Head, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention
Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia
Secretary, Serbian Society for the Fight Against Cancer (Serbia)
Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

"I am involved in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because I want to contribute to the improvement of early detection and management of breast cancer in my country. Breast cancer presents one of the major health problem in Serbia - not only for being a leading cancer in females with about 4000 newly registered cases per year, but also for a very infavourable stage distribution with two thirds of patients being diagnosed at an advanced stage. At the moment, we are preparing a national strategy for early detection of breast cancer."

Dr. Ana Jovicevic Bekic is an epidemiologist at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, major comprehensive cancer center in Serbia and Montenegro. Since 1996, she is a head of the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention. She has a Master's degree in oncology. Dr Bekic was awarded several fellowships enabling her to spent 3 months at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (Technical Transfer Award, Environmental Cancer Epidemiology Unit), complete the NCI Summer Curriculum in Cancer Prevention 2001 (NCI/NIH scholarship), spend one month in cancer screening centers in France (French Government grant), etc.

Her interest in improving cancer prevention and early detection in Serbia has led to her participation in several national and international projects and various activities within the framework of non-governmental organizations. She has been the active member of the Serbian Society for Fight Against Cancer for more than 10 years and secretary of the Society since 2002. She is also a member of the National Committee for Tobacco Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Serbia, member of the Executive board of the Serbian Medical Association, and a reviewer of the "Archive of Oncology" magazine.

Arturo Beltrán-Ortega, MD
Global Summit Panelist
Surgical Oncologist, National Cancer Institute-Mexico
Col. Tlalpan, Mexico

"I am involved with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because with an area of over 2 million Km2 ranging from deserts to tropical areas, it has been a challenge for Mexico to attend the over 9,500 cases of registered breast cancer in 2001 (with many more unregistered). Fortunately, although the cases are on the rise, we have set programs to lower the reported stages of diagnosis, but we need to increase the awareness, equipment (approx. 500 mastographies) to serve a population of 35 million women at risk."

Dr. Beltran is a surgical oncologist at the National Cancer Institute in Mexico. Graduated from medical school in Mexico, trained at Memorial Hospital in New York, and Memorial Roswell Park, New York, to later return to Mexico practicing at the National Cancer Institute as surgical oncologist moving to Chief of Surgery an then as Head of the Institute from 1982 to1993. During this time, he created a network of cancer centers within the country, now numbering 21.

Specifically in the breast area, he created the Department of Breast Cancer Treatment and Research at the National Cancer Institute and personally has performed over 1000 breast surgeries (supermastectomies, Halstead, Patey and conservative procedures). He served as Director of Educational Programs of Doctors and Nurses of the UICC from 1994 to 2002.

Currently, he serves as advisor for the Breast, Head and Neck Consul at the National Cancer Institute and is a member of the following organizations: Mexican Oncology Society; Mexican Academy of Medicine; Mexican Academy of Surgery; Head and Neck Society; Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Rafael Bengoa, MD
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Director, Health System Policies and Operations
World Health Organization (WHO)
Geneva, Switzerland

Dr. Rafael Bengoa is a medical doctor specialized in PHC and Community Medicine. Following several years of work seeing patients Dr. R. Bengoa progressively began addressing issues related to health care policy and management.

He has been the author of several health care policy reports to the Spanish Parliament over the years, all addressing the need for more fundamental structural reforms in both the financing and delivery of health care. The driving objective of those policy papers was quality improvement in health care.

Dr. Bengoa has worked as a staff member for WHO at several levels. Until recently he was Director of the Department of Management of Noncommunicable Diseases and is currently Director of the Department of Health System Policies and Operations in the World Health Organization, Geneva.

Before joining WHO, Dr. Bengoa was responsible for running health services in a Region in Spain (Basque Country) and for a reform of the health care system in that Autonomous Community. Dr Bengoa is a visiting lecturer in Universities in Spain (Madrid and Barcelona) and is Honorary Fellow of the University of Manchester, UK.

His main technical interest is connecting the medical and the public health agendas by using comprehensive quality and disease management approaches. The link to ^The Breast Health Global Initiative is Dr. Bengoa's work in new organizational and delivery approaches for more effective management of chronic conditions including cancer. Many cancers may be controlled by comprehensive approaches stretching across the health continuum with some preventive interventions targeting healthy populations, others targeting at risk populations and yet other interventions targeting the reorganization of health care. These comprehensive approaches will be the main solution for cancer in less developed settings where cancer is expected to continue rising exponentially in next decades.

F Nuran Senel Bese, MD
Global Summit Panelist
Associate Professor, Radiation Oncology
Cerrahpasa Medical School
Istanbul University
Istanbul, Turkey

"There are many guidelines which have been developed for breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment. However these guidelines from developed countries might have limited applicability in countries of limited resources. I am involved in Breast Health Global Initiative because I believe that evidence based practical guidelines can be established with a comprehensive work with the participants from developed countries as well as the participants from countries with low and medium level of resources."

Dr. F. Nuran Senel Bese is a radiation oncologist at the Radiation Oncology Department of Istanbul University, Cerahpasa Medical School which is one of the major radiation oncology centres of Turkey. Her training as a M.D and radiation oncologist was completed in the same Medical School. She has been working in the breast cancer unit of the radiation oncology department since she had her specialist degree in 1995. After the graduation of medical school, she worked in Urfa Social Security hospital which is located at the south-eastern part of Turkey where she had possibility to observe the health care in rural and very poor population. During her education in Radiation Oncology, she was awarded British Council Scholarship and worked as a visiting clinician in Royal Marsden Hospital/Sutton where she observed the health care in one the most developed centres. Dr. Bese participated in the process of developing consensus report and national guidelines for the management of breast cancer which were issued in February1999 and December 2002. She has been a reviewer of the Meme Hastaliklari Dergisi (Turkish medical journal of Breast Disease) since 2000. She is an active member of European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ESTRO) and she is an investigator in several international clinical trials of breast cancer.

José Bines, MD
Global Summit Panelist
Medical Oncologist, Medical Oncology, Breast Cancer Unit, Breast Cancer Unit
Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA)
Brazilian National Cancer Institute
Ministry of Health
Head, Breast Cancer Division
Brazilian Oncology Cooperative Group (GBOC)
Instituto Nacional de Câncer
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

"Information these days is widespread and it occurs almost simultaneously throughout the globe. However, the critical point is how to translate the medical knowledge, and specifically, breast cancer knowledge into each particular context. My main interest in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative is to provide input from my local experience, listen to the expertise of others and finally, bring home new solutions to the breast cancer problem."

José Bines is a medical oncologist at the Breast Cancer Unit of the Brazilian National Cancer Institute. He completed his medical training in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He continued his medical education in the United States. He did his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, in Chicago. He then undertook a fellowship in Hematology/Medical Oncology at the Northwestern University Medical School, also in Chicago.

Back in Brazil since 1998, he has been working at the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (NCI). He has been involved in breast cancer research as well as national policy development. He coordinated the medical oncology guidelines on breast cancer at the NCI and, more recently, he was a co-author of the Brazilian National Breast Cancer Consensus Conference (Nov 2003). He is currently a member of the technical-scientific committee on cancer research and is in charge of the translational research team in breast cancer at the NCI. He is also the head of the breast cancer division of the Brazilian Oncology Cooperative Group (GBOC). His research interests include the effects of breast cancer adjuvant chemotherapy on ovarian function and primary therapy for locally advanced breast cancer.

Susan Braun
Co-Sponsor and Co-Chair
The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI)
Global Summit Panelist
President and CEO
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Dallas, Texas

"We at Susan G. Komen for the Cure believe that breast cancer knows no boundaries. We have been fortunate in the United States to have substantial, although insufficient, resources available for breast cancer research, treatment, and outreach. Most of the rest of the world faces the problems that breast cancer causes without this level of resources. Therefore, we wish to contribute in multiple ways to ^The Breast Health Global Initiative to establish a realistic basis for fighting breast cancer in areas of the world where resources are limited."

Ms. Braun is president and chief executive officer of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a global leader in the fight against breast cancer. Susan G. Komen for the Cure has more than 100 Affiliates located in cities around the world. Among her present appointments and responsibilities, Ms. Braun serves on boards and/or committees for several organizations, including: American Society for Breast Disease (ASBD), World Society of Breast Health, Americorps NCCC, American Society of Clinical Oncology, C-Change, formerly the National Dialog on Cancer, Intercultural Cancer Council, 2003 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Task Force on Cancer Prevention and on the Editorial Boards of the Breast Journal and C.U.R.E. Magazine. Prior to joining Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Ms. Braun served in various positions within the Oncology/Immunology Division at Bristol-Myers Squibb in Princeton, New Jersey. Prior to joining Bristol-Myers Squibb, Ms. Braun was an executive with the health care consulting firm Pracon Incorporated and the Center for Economic Studies in Medicine. Ms. Braun received a bachelor's degree in English and sociology from George Mason University and a master's degree in health sciences from the University of Maryland. She also completed the graduate program in international business and marketing at the University of Muenster in Muenster, Germany.

Maira Caleffi, MD, PhD
Global Summit Panel Co-Chair - Early Detection and Access to Care
Coordinator of Breast Center at Hospital Moinhos de Vento Em Porto Alegre
President of Breast Institute of Rio Grande do Sul
Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

"^The Breast Health Global Initiative is a unique opportunity to address breast cancer in countries with limited resources. Also, to provide scientific recommendations and alternatives to decrease mortality throughout the world. I am honoured to participate and share experiences of on-going projects in south Brazil where the disease is first cause of all causes of death in women in reproductive years. Experts must share the good results and most importantly the difficulties of communities who try to overcome unacceptable late diagnosis and increasing mortality rates. I believe that BGHI Consensus Conference is an excellent tool for the scientific and lay community to demand a different VISION from governments and health professionals in regard to its social relevance."

Dr Caleffi is President of the Breast Institute of Rio Grande do Sul; Consultant of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, in Rio de Janeiro; Teacher at the Pathology Post-Graduate Course of Federal Faculty Foundation in Medical Sciences, Porto Alegre; Tumor Biology Department Director of the Brazilian Mastology Society; Coordinator at the Breast Cancer Centers of Moinhos de Vento and that of Porto Alegre. She is also a member of ASCO and editorial member of scientific publications as "The Breast" and "Breast Disease."

Dr Caleffi has been working at the forefront of Breast Cancer management since the beginning of her career. Aside from Brazil, she has studied in England, the USA, and Italy, always looking for the best way to treat this highly prevalent disease, which is the first cause of cancer death in her State (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). She created an NGO called "Instituto da Mama of the State of Rio Grande do Sul" (IMAMA) in Porto Alegre to help women to overcome financial limitations as well as psychological and physical rehabilitation. The Breast Institute's main goal is to promote breast cancer awareness and concentrate resources in the breast healthcare field. In 2003, she created a project called "Núcleo Mama Porto Alegre" to look after 10,000 women from a pre-determined geographical area of an underserved community with difficulties to access the specialized health services. This nucleus offers services from the first evaluation of the patient through to rehabilitation and follow-up. The project is supported by a grant from Moinhos de Vento Hospital, Porto Alegre.

Maira Caleffi finished her Medical School in 1981 at the Medical Faculty of the Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and her specialty, Surgical Oncology, at Guy's Hospital Medical School in 1991 under supervision of Mr John Hayward and Mr Ian Fentiman. From 1981 to 1991, her specialty training courses were: Residence in Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Hospital de Clínicas (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul) and Clinical Research Fellow at the Breast Unit in Guy's Hospital (London). In 1993 she obtained a PhD in Medicine from the University of London, dedicated to "BREAST CANCER IN THE ELDERLY". That same year, in Nashville, USA, she started her Pos-PhD in Molecular Biology (Genetics) in Oncology where she stayed as a visiting Professor in the Department of Pathology under supervision of Dr David Page until 1993.

Robert W. Carlson, MD
Global Summit Panel Co-Chair - Treatment & Allocation of Resources
Professor of Medicine
Division of Oncology and Stanford Medical Informatics
Stanford University Medical Center
Chair, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), Breast Cancer Guidelines Committee
Stanford, California

"The development of guidelines for the management of breast cancer helps to facilitate quality care of patients while using health care resources efficiently and facilitating the breaking down of social barriers to the delivery of optimal medical care for women. These are especially important tasks in locations where health care resources are limited. I am personally involved in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because of my commitment to the goal of providing accessible, quality care to women with breast cancer in all parts of the world."

Robert W. Carlson has been on the faculty of Stanford University since 1985 and is Professor of Medicine in the Division of Medical Oncology and Stanford Medical Informatics at Stanford University. Dr. Carlson's primary research interests focus on breast cancer and computer-based systems to assist health care providers in the delivery of patient care. Dr. Carlson was the founding chair of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Breast Cancer Guidelines Panel in 1995 and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Panel in 1998 and continues as the chair of both of these panels. Dr. Carlson served as the Chair of the Treatment Panel for the Breast Health Global Initiative in 2002. Dr. Carlson is a past recipient of an American Cancer Society Clinical Oncology Career Development Award and of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Achievement Award.

Robert M. Chamberlain, PhD
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Ashbel Smith Professor, Tenured
Deputy Chair, Director, Cancer Prevention Education
Department of Epidemiology/Div of Cancer Prevention
The University of Texas - M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Faculty Member, The University of Texas Graduate School of
Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
Professor, Department of Behavioral Science
The University of Texas School of Public Health
Houston, Texas

Dr. Robert M. Chamberlain is Professor and Deputy Chairman of the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston. He received his Ph.D. in medical sociology and anthropology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Chamberlain has held academic appointments at the University of Virginia, the University of Houston, and Baylor College of Medicine before joining the M. D. Anderson faculty in 1988. Dr. Chamberlain conducts studies of the social risk factors in cancer and also new methods of recruitment and adherence in cancer prevention clinical trials. Recently, he has participated in epidemiologic studies of breast cancer in Middle Eastern countries. These studies have illustrated the lack of knowledge about breast cancer screening and diagnosis among primary care physicians in developing countries. Dr. Chamberlain has been working with the National Cancer Institute of Cairo University and the Egyptian Ministry of Health to develop a continuing education program on breast cancer for primary care physicians.

As director of the Cancer Prevention Education and Teaching Program, Dr. Chamberlain leads a large grant funded training program in the United States, for preventive oncology. He has served the American Association for Cancer Education as its Secretary, Vice President, and President. Presently, he serves on the Advisory Committee of the American Association for Cancer Education.

Tony Hsiu-His Chen, MSc, PhD
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Chairman, Department of Public Health
Professor, Institute of Preventative Medicine
College of Public Health
National Taiwan University
Taipei, Taiwan

Professor Tony Hsiu-Hsi Chen has started to undertake breast cancer researches since his study in PhD degree in Cambridge with Professor Stephen Duffy and Professor Nick Day. The thesis entitled "Mathematical Models for Progression of Breast Cancer and Evaluation of Breast Cancer Screening" provided the knowledge of the disease natural history for breast cancer using mathematical modelling technique. Further studies regarding screening policy on the issues of the screening efficacy for younger and older women and of the screening interval, and methodology developments for disease natural history, measurement error estimation in breast cancer screening continued after his graduation.

After returning to Taiwan, an area with moderate but increasing incidence of breast cancer, he has been involved in research projects for breast cancer screening launched by Department of Health in Taiwan using high-risk group approach with family history of second-degree female relatives or risk score defined by reproductive or menstrual factors. As the incidence rate of breast cancer has increased with time the government has decided to initiate a mass screening for breast cancer with mammography. He has been involved in evaluation of such an organized screening program. Currently, he has been also in charge of a randomised clinical trial to clarify the controversy of breast cancer screening for women aged 50 years or below.

In addition to breast cancer screening, he also proposed a novel idea of Community-Based Multiple Screening Model covering four neoplastic diseases (breast, oral, liver, colorectal, and cervical carcinoma) and three non-neoplastic chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia). The success on the enhancement of attendance rate, the detection of a large proportion of asymptomatic diseases, and the elucidation of the relationships between diseases has been demonstrated and published in peer-reviewed journals

Louis Wing-Cheong CHOW, MB BS, FRCS, FCS (HK), FHKAM (Surgery), MS
Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong
Chief, Division of Breast Surgery, The University of Hong Kong
Consultant (Hon.), Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
Director, Hung Chao Hong Integrated Centre for Breast Diseases, Department of Surgery, Tung Wah Hospital, Hong Kong
Consultant (Hon.), Department of Surgery, Tung Wah Hospital, Hong Kong
Chairman, Clinical Skills Planning Group, New Medical Curriculum
Fellow, Cancer Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong
Fellow, Centre of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The University of Hong Kong
Member, Board of Studies, School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
Deputy Director, Centre of Education and Training, Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong
Editor, Medical Faculty News, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
Member, Task Group on Breast Cancer Management, Hospital Authority
PRESENT APPOINTMENTS IN PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Executive Member, Asian Breast Cancer Society
Corresponding Editor, Chinese Medical Journal, Beijing, China
Vice-President, Hong Kong Day Surgery Association
Secretary (Honorary), Hong Kong Association for Integration of Chinese-Western Medicine
Vice-President (Asia-Africa), Senological International Society Jamie G. de la Garza-Salazar, MD
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Clinical Research Investigator
Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Mexico
Former General Director
Instituto Nacional de Cancerología-Mexico (1993-2003)
Pedrega, Deleg. Coyoacan.
MEXICO

Dr. de la Garza is currently the Clinical Research Investigator at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología-Mexico, Member of the Academic Committee of the ICAT-PARIS Courses, Former Professor of the Summer Courses of the Universidad del País Vasco, San Sebastián, Spain, Advisor of the Consejo Mexicano de Oncología, Member of the H. Administration Council of the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Former Director of the Journal of the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (Oncology-Spain), Coordinator of Latin American Editorial Committee of the European School of Oncology; Academic Reviewer of the Research Program of the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, CONACYT, National System of Investigation (SNI level II) Co-Chairman of more than 10 International Journals; Reviewer Member of the "José Noriega Limón" Award, Qualifying Jury of the "Dr. Jorge Rosenkranz" Award, Qualifying Member of the Research Award of the Academia Mexicana de Investigación Científica, Coordinator of the Oncology area of the Academia Nacional de Medicina de México; Member of the Consejo Superior de Educación Médica Continua (PEMC) of the Sociedad Iberoamericana de Información Científica with headquarters in Buenos Aires, Argentina, among others.

Author of more than 160 works in national and international arbitrated journals, chapters in book; Lecturer of more than 1000 national and international lectures, among others.

Dr. de la Garza is a member of more than 30 Medical Societies both National and International, Academia Nacional de Medicina, Academia Mexicana de Cirugía, American Society of Clinical OncologyASCO (Chair Elect Member of the International Affairs Committee of ASCO 2004-2007) International Union Against Cancer, Alumni Association Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, USA, among others.

Dr. de la Garza is formerly the Coordinator of the Cuadro Básico de Medicamentos of the SSA., Medical General Assistant Director, Research and Teaching General Assistant Director, former Editor of the Journal of the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, former President of the Mexican Oncology Society and Founder and president of the Mexican Oncology Board, Former General Director of the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología-Mexico(1993-2003) Chairman of the Consejo Mexicano de Oncología, Co-Chairman of the Ca.Cu. Program, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), among others.

Stephen W. Duffy, BSc
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Professor of Cancer Screening,
Cancer Research
UK Centre for Epidemiology, Mathematics & Statistics
Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine
London, England

"My research goals are, by careful assessment of screening programmes, to evolve early detection strategies which are effective in reducing mortality from cancer without incurring a severe burden of anxiety, diagnostic activity and over-diagnosis. To develop evaluation techniques for preventive and early detection interventions in high risk groups, taking into account disease aetiology and risk markers."

Stephen Duffy was born in Glasgow and trained as a statistician at the University of Edinburgh and Imperial College London. A large part of his working life has been spent in breast cancer epidemiology, control and screening, notably collaborating in the pioneering Swedish Two-County Study of breast cancer screening. He has worked in Scotland, England, Singapore, France and Sweden.

He is Professor of Cancer Screening in Queen Mary University of London and directs the Cancer Screening and Aetiology Group there.

Alexandru Eniu, MD
Global Summit Panel Co-Chair - Treatment and Allocation of Resources
Medical Oncologist
Cancer Institute Ion Chiricuta
Cluj-Napoca, Romania

"Being part of ^The Breast Health Global Initiative enables me to make a contribution toward improving the outcome of breast cancer patients, by making better use of the limited resources available, and by using the best evidence-based medical knowledge to guide our recommendations."

Dr. Alexandru Eniu is a medical oncologist at the Breast Cancer Center of the National Cancer Institute Ion Chiricuta in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. His training as a M.D. and a medical oncologist was completed in Romania. However he was awarded several scholarships that allowed him to learn and practice medical oncology in France and in Italy at the European Institute of Oncology. More recently he was awarded a Mayo Foundation Visiting Clinician Scholarship at the Mayo Breast Cancer Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Apart from his national credentials, he holds the European Certification in Medical Oncology after successfully sustaining the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Certification Examination in 2000. He is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).

His interest in improving the outcome of patients with breast cancer led to his recruitment as a core team member at the Breast Cancer Centre in Cluj. He participated in the process of developing national guidelines for the management of cancer patients. His preoccupations for developing the infrastructure of cancer treatment led him to become for a short period of time the Secretary of the National Cancer Commission of the Ministry of Health in Romania. Dr. Eniu's background of training and working in various environments enabled him to better capture the differences that exist when practicing oncology in countries with high versus moderate/low level of resources. His continuous search for better ways of delivering care to breast cancer patients made him be part of ^The Breast Health Global Initiative since 2002. In this context he served as a panelist and as a co-author for the guidelines for treatment of breast cancer in countries with limited resources; he also delivered talks on several occasions in Europe and in the U.S.. Currently he is continuing his clinical practice devoted to the care of breast cancer patients and his clinical research interest, being an investigator for several international clinical trials.

Kathleen M. Errico, PhD, ARNP
Global Summit Panelist
Nurse Practicioner
University of Washington, Breast Health Center
Assistant Professor, Seattle University College of Nursing
Seattle, Washington

"I am involved with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because it is my belief that meeting the needs of diverse populations of women with breast cancer, in countries of limited resources, will require innovative approaches to the delivery of care. I am interested in culturally sensitive models of care, based on interdisciplinary practice, to address breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment in countries with limited resources."

Dr. Errico is a certified nurse practitioner and a member of the interdisciplinary Breast Health Team at the University of Washington Breast Health Center. Dr. Errico is also an Assistant Professor in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program at Seattle University, College of Nursing. She received her Masters of Nursing at the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1985. In 2002, Dr. Errico completed doctoral studies in Public Administration and Policy at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. Her doctoral research focused on intraorganizational factors affecting collaborative models of primary care and microsystems of care.

Dr. Errico is a breast cancer survivor who is involved with breast cancer advocacy and community education, speaking to community groups on breast cancer screening and diagnosis. She has also participated in Dragon Boat Racing with Team Survivor Northwest as member of the team of survivors and providers from the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

Leticia María Fernández, MD, PhD
Global Summit Panelist
Specialist in Biostatistics
Titular Professor of the National Public Health School, Medical University
Titular Researcher and Director of Research of the National Oncology Institute
Havana, Cuba

"I accept to be involved with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because I spent the last 26 years of my life, working in the design and evaluation of cancer control programs and as a researcher in my field of research, focused on cancer epidemiology. I understand that the differences between developed and developing countries should be analyzed, compairing the planning phase of screening programs. My hope is that we can improve breast health care, and inform women and societies about their risks and responsibilities related to breast cancer. Also, I think that we should work on health information systems to have reliable data to help the scientific community on the decision process about this health problem."

Dr. Fernández is graduated from the University of Habana and obtained her speciality title of Biostatistic in 1978 and the Ph.D in 1987. Dr. Fernández developed post-graduates studies (Health Information Systems) in France and she is the President of the National Cancer Registry Board. Dr. Fernández is Professor of the National Public Health School since 1988 and is also a member of The Breast Cancer Control Program Commitee for 20 years. She is also acting as temporary Technical Advisor of PAHO and UICC. Currently research fields are in the epidemiology and psychosocial impact of breast cancer. She collaborated for four years with the Public Health School of the University of Puerto Rico on a project related to Attitudes, Beliefs and Knowledge of the female population about Breast Cancer. She is Principal Investigator of a community intervention study to evaluate different methods to improve breast health practices.

Margaret I. Fitch, RN, PhD
Global Summit Panelist
President, International Society for Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC)
Head, Oncology Nursing and Supportive Care
Co-Director, Psychosocial & Behavioral Research Unit
Toronto Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre
Provincial Head, Supportive Care, Cancer Care Ontario
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Margaret I. Fitch, RN, PhD, is Co-Director, Psychosocial and Behavioral Research Unit; Head, Supportive Care; Head, Oncology Nursing; and Oncology Nurse Researcher at the Toronto Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre and Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Canada. In addition, she is Coordinator of Supportive Care at Cancer Care Ontario in Toronto and Professor, Associate Member, School of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto.

Dr. Fitch has received numerous research grants to study such subjects as fatigue measurement and management, supportive care for and changing roles of patients with breast cancer, reducing psychosocial distress in cancer patients, evaluating patient education outcomes, identifying needs of male partners of patients with breast cancer, evaluating supportive care for cancer patients, and perspectives on ovarian cancer in Canada.

She has contributed over 100 articles and abstracts in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Fitch serves on the editorial board of Journal of Oncology Nursing (European journal) and review board of Australian Journal of Nursing Research. She has been invited to write editorials, and papers and presentation abstracts in conference proceedings as well as present at conferences in Canada and internationally.

She has served in leadership positions and holds membership in the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, Ontario Respiratory Care Society, Canadian Respiratory Care Society, Ontario Oncology Association for Health Professionals, Canadian Association for Nurses in Oncology, National Cancer Institute - Canada, National Forum on Ovarian Cancer, Canadian Breast Cancer Network, Canadian Cancer Society (Ontario Division), Cancer Control Strategy for Canada Initiative, and Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology. Additionally, she is President of the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care.

Among many awards, Dr. Fitch was presented with the Award of Excellence, Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology (2004). She was recognized as Scholar in Residence, Kingston General Hospital/ Queen's University (2002) and as Eminent Scientist of the Year, International Research Promotion Council (2000). She received the Schering Lectureship, Canadian Oncology Nurses' Association (1997) and the Award of Excellence in Research, Pharmacia, Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (1995).

Dido Franceschi, MD
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Associate Professor, Department of Surgery
Associate Director of Informatics
Sylvester Comp. Cancer Center
University of Miami School of Medicine
PANAMA / Miami, Florida

"I am excited about being involved it the ^The Breast Health Global Initiative. Not only is it a great opportunity to get involved with an international group of experts committed to improved health care for breast cancer patients in underdeveloped regions of the world, but it also provides a forum in which to discuss the latest evidence for patient diagnosis and care and provide a framework for it's implementation with the available resources."

Dr. Dido Franceschi is a surgical oncologist at the Sylvester Cancer Center at the University of Miami. He is originally from Panama where he completed his medical education in 1981. He completed a surgical residency at Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio in 1992. There he participated and published several studies of early, non-palpable breast cancer that started his interest in this disease. He did fellowship training in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center between 1992 -1994 and has been a faculty member of the University of Miami since then. Dr. Franceschi is currently associate professor of surgery at the University of Miami-School of Medicine. He functions as Chief of the Division of Informatics at the cancer center and has an interest in outcomes research. He is a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology where he heads their website committee since its inception.

A great part of his clinical practice is in breast cancer. The University of Miami serves a large multi-ethnic community, mostly from South America and the Caribbean. A large proportion of cases are advanced and many of the social, economic and cultural issues identified in the underserved populations of Latin America are reflected in Miami. He actively participates throughout Latin America in symposia about breast cancer, either lecturing, or hands on teaching of procedures such breast conservation, sentinel node biopsy, ductal lavage and ductoscopy.

Gail Geller, Sc.D.
Global Summit Presenter and Panelist
Associate Professor, Bioethics Institute
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland

Bio pending.

Alicia Gimeno
Survivor & Advocate, Global Summit Presenter
Physical Therapist
Director/Educational Coordinator
Corporacion Yo Mujer (advocate organization)
Santiago, Chile

"I am involved with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because as a breast cancer survivor and advocate from a developing country (Chile, South America) I feel I can contribute with my testimony to improve the health care condition of many Chilean women who don't have the opportunity to get early detection of breast cancer. In corporation Yo Mujer we give emotional support to women with breast cancer and their family group. The principal task of our corporation is to educate women through out the country so they make conscious of the importance of early detection to diminish the number of women who die every year from this disease. We do this trough conferences and lectures to the community."

I am 56 years old, married with two children a boy of 30 and a girl of 29, I was born in Santiago Chile. After high school I attended Universidad De Chile where I graduated as a physical therapist. I have worked for almost 30 years in different public hospitals and private clinics.

In the year 1977 I lived in Syria and Israel with my family, where my husband was a U.N. observer. Then in 1986 and 1987 we lived in Ottawa, Canada where my husband was at the Chilean embassy as Chilean air force attaché. During this period I worked in the Queens Way Carlton hospital as a physical therapist volunteer. I have a Diploma in social gerontology and currently I am in the board of directors of a foundation that looks after the elderly people who are abandoned by their families.

In 1992 I was diagnosed with breast (left breast) cancer. I had conservative surgery and radiotherapy. Then in 1996 I had a second breast cancer (right breast) and again I had surgery and radiotherapy. I did well until 2003 when I was found to have an axillary recurrence and I underwent surgery and was started on hormone therapy. It was then when I decided to quit my job as physical therapist and I became an advocate in the fight against breast cancer. I belong to Yo Mujer, a patient's based corporation to emotionally support women with breast cancer and their family groups, but our most important mission is to educate the community on the importance of early detection of breast cancer and to make conscious on our authorities of the importance of this issue.

Martijn T. Groot, MSc
Recipient, National Cancer Institute (NCI)/Global Summit Traveling Scholar Award
Research Fellow, Institute for Medical Technology Assessment
Erasmus Medical Center University Medical Center
Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Martijn Groot is a research fellow at the institute for Medical Technology Assessment (iMTA) of the ErasmusMC university medical center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. After finishing his MSc in Medical Biology at the University of Amsterdam in 2000 he was offered a position at the iMTA to obtain his PhD. The iMTA performs applied scientific research in medical technology assessment (MTA) and develops new methods and techniques for MTA research. Knowledge about MTA is disseminated trough workshops, conferences, courses and scientific publications. The iMTA advises health care parties with regard to MTA research and its application in policy.

Martijn Groot has followed a number of academic courses on evaluation and modelling methods for health economics evaluation at the Centre for health economics, University of York in the United Kingdom. He taught on the master courses on cost-effectiveness modelling for the Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences (NIHES) and the institute for Health Policy and Management (iBMG). He worked as a teaching assistant on a course on health policy management for Human Resource managers of the National Health Service (NHS) from the United Kingdom, which formed a part of an international learning cycle. He published the results of his research in a number of national and international peer reviewed scientific journals and performed lectures at international scientific conferences. He is an active member of the international society of pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research (ISPOR).

At this moment he is involved in a number of cost-effectiveness modeling studies on therapeutic and diagnostic interventions in the field of oncology and internal medicine, these are performed on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry, the World Health Organization (WHO) and The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development.

The study for the WHO forms part of the work of WHO-CHOICE: Choosing Interventions that are Cost-Effective. This study reports on the cost-effectiveness of different breast cancer control strategies in various epidemiological sub-regions in the world following a standardized methodology. The results of this study can serve as the basis for a local approach in which the costs and population health consequences of applying different breast cancer interventions can be estimated. Thereby helping countries with limited resources to choose between different breast cancer interventions

Joe Harford, PhD
BHGI Steering Committee Member
Global Summit HOST
Global Summit Panelist
Director, Office of International Affairs
National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI)
Bethesda, Maryland

"Cancer recognizes neither political nor geographic boundaries. Throughout the world, cancer is becoming an increasingly serious public health issue with malignancies now killing more people worldwide each year than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. By 2020, there are projected to be 20 million new cancer cases worldwide each year with 70% of these occurring in developing countries. The National Cancer Institute is pleased to be a part of The Breast Health Global Initiative that will address the issue of breast cancer in developing countries."

Dr. Harford serves as Director of the Office of International Affairs (OIA) of the National Cancer Institute with responsibility for a number of interactions involving the NCI and non-U.S. cancer research institutions. Dr. Harford chairs the Implementation Group of the Ireland-Northern Ireland-NCI Cancer Consortium and is the NCI liaison to the Middle East Cancer Consortium, the US-Japan Cooperative Cancer Research Program, and the International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research. Dr. Harford represents the United States on the Governing Council of the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer and on the Board of Trustees of the Human Frontier Science Program, an international association promoting basic research in life sciences.

Dr. Harford has a B.S. in chemistry and a Ph.D. in biochemistry. His research career focused on receptor-mediated processes and post-transcriptional regulation of genes involved in cellular iron metabolism. He has published over 100 scientific papers and served as the Series Editor for Modern Cell Biology. He edited the volume mRNA Metabolism and Post-transcriptional Gene Regulation for this series. Dr. Harford is a founding editor for Current Protocols in Cell Biology and for Short Protocols in Cell Biology.

Gabriel N. Hortobágyi, MD
Chairman of the Steering Committee, The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI)
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Professor and Chairman of the Department of Breast Medical Oncology
Nellie B. Connally Chair in Breast Cancer
Director of the Breast Cancer Research Program
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas

"Breast cancer recognizes no frontiers: it is a global problem. If we applied all we know today about optimal treatment of breast cancer throughout the world, we would save several hundred thousand lives every year."

Dr. Gabriel N. Hortobágyi chairs the Department of Breast Medical Oncology and directs the Breast Cancer Research Program at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, where he holds the Nellie B. Connally Chair in Breast Cancer. He is one of the world's leading authorities on the use of chemotherapy for breast cancer.

As a member of the M.D. Anderson faculty since 1976, Dr. Hortobágyi has been instrumental in developing combination chemotherapy for previously inoperable breast tumors and for improving multidisciplinary treatment for patients with all stages of breast cancer, including advanced disease. He and his colleagues have conducted extensive clinical trials that have been widely incorporated into standard practices for managing breast cancer and have contributed to increased survival for many patients. His research studies in the development of gene therapy approaches to breast cancer have been supported by The Breast Cancer Research Foundation since 1993.

Dr. Hortobágyi is widely known for a landmark study he initiated in 1974 as a fellow in developmental therapeutics at M.D. Anderson. His research involved giving presurgical chemotherapy to patients whose breast tumors had already spread to other parts of the body and concluded that many large tumors could be reduced as much as 50 percent, then removed surgically. In 1988, he published a 10-year study that showed a three-drug regimen administered before surgery and radiation therapy after surgery produced promising results for breast cancer patients with advanced disease. This approach to therapy was later applied to earlier stages of operable breast cancer with increased success. Dr. Hortobágyi and his group are also known for the establishment of the role of bisphosphonates in the management of patients with bone metastases and the introduction of paclitaxel and docetaxel in the management of metastatic and primary breast cancer.

Among major honors for his breast cancer research, Dr. Hortobágyi has received the 1995 Cino del Duca Award, the 1997 Brinker International Award for Clinical Research, the 1997 medal of the Japanese Surgical Society and the Sir Peter Freyer Medal in Galway, Ireland. In 1999 he received the Vermeille Medal from the City of Paris, and in 2001 President Jacques Chirac named him Chevalier of the Order of la Legion d'Honneur de France. Dr. Hortobagyi received the Glen Robbins Award in Breast Cancer Research from the New York Cancer Society and the Metropolitan Breast Cancer Group in April 2003, the Bristol-Myers Squibb 2003 Horizon Scientific Award. In 2004 Dr. Hortobágyi was the Jeffrey A. Gottlieb Memorial Award recipient, and was honored as the first recipient of the Umberto Veronesi Award for the Future Fight Against Breast Cancer.

Dr. Hortobágyi has contributed more than 700 articles to scientific journals and over 100 chapters to textbooks. He was co-founder of the World Summit Against Cancer, an international group of scientists, health care professionals, patient advocates, economists, lawmakers and celebrities who are campaigning to ensure all people worldwide receive the most advanced treatment for cancer, and the co-creator of the Charter of Paris. Dr. Hortobagyi, Dr. David Khayat and Dr. Larry Norton, founded the International Oncology Foundation.

Dr. Hortobágyi has served as editor of Breast Disease, Breast Diseases-A Year Book Quarterly, Current Treatment Options in Oncology, Revista Latinoamericana de Mastologia. He has guest edited numerous issues of Seminars in Oncology, Seminars if Breast Disease, Oncology, and The Cancer Bulletin. He currently serves or has served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Clinical Cancer Research, Revisiones en Cancer (Spain), References en Gynecologie Obstetrique, Tumor Oncología Interdisciplinaria (Argentina), Revista del Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (México), Oncology Clinical Digest Series, Breast Surgery Index & Reviews, Patient Care, The Breast Journal, The Oncologist, Annals of Surgical Oncology, Women and Cancer, Oncología Clínica (Argentina), The Breast, Diagnostico (Argentina), Controversies in Oncology, Seminars in Breast Disease, Cancer Treatment Reviews, Oncology, Breast Cancer - The Journal of the Japanese Breast Cancer Society, intouch, Clinical Breast Cancer, The Oncologist (Edición Española), CURE: Cancer Updates, Research, and Education and more recently, the International Journal of Oncology. He has been recently appointed as a Senior Editor of The Oncologist. His professional society activities include membership in the American Society of Clinical Oncology, where he sits on two task forces, chairs one committee, and serves on the Board of Directors. He chairs the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project; and served as President of the International Society of Senology. Dr. Hortobágyi is a foreign member of the National Academies of Science or Medicine of Argentina, Hungary and Mexico, elected member of the National Oncology societies of Argentina, Colombia, France, Hungary, Peru, and Spain, member of the National Senology (Mastology) societies of Argentina, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Mexico, Peru, Spain and the U.S., as well as a member of the European Societies of Mastology and Clinical Oncology. He served as a member of the U.S. National Committee for the International Union Against Cancer, and the National Cancer Institute's Breast Cancer Progress Review Group. Dr. Hortobágyi chairs the Health Advisory Board of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and was a member of the Integration Panel of the Breast Cancer Research Program of the Department of Defense. He is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Julio Alberto Ibarra, Jr., MD
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Associate Pathologist, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center
(& Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center)
Department of Pathology
Medical Director, Pathology Department
Associate Director of Breast Evaluation Center
Orange Coast Memorial Breast Evaluation Center/Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center
Associate Clinical Professor, University of California at Irvine
MEXICO/Long Beach, California

"I am interested in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because I have seen the differences that occur in the practice of medicine in developed countries versus countries with limited resources. The patient is the recipient of the benefit or the lack thereof of expertise in different areas. Pathology is a key specialty in the diagnosis and management of breast disease and it is usually underrepresented."

"I did my medical training at the National University in Mexico City (UNAM), did a year of rotating internship and then decided to come to the US where I worked as a research associate at UCI for 2 years. I graduated form the pathology residency program at UCI, MC-LBMMC in Southern California followed by a fellowship in cytopathology and surgical pathology at LBMMC where I developed the FNA skills. I have been an associate pathologist in the group since 1986, and founded the Fine Needle Aspiration Clinic at LBMMC in 1987. I am an Associate clinical professor at UCI, MC, and started my breast pathology training under William Hartmann, MD in 1985. I helped develop the Breast Center in Long Beach in 1987 and in Orange Coast and 1998. I am Director of Pathology for the MemorialCare Breast Centers at OCMMC, and Chief of pathology at OCMMC. I serve as the Secretary/Treasurer of the American Society of Breast Disease (ASBD)."

"I received the honor of being chosen as one of the best doctors of Orange County in 1998, 2001 and 2004, and Chair the Consensus Committee of the ASBD, which is in the process of developing the Clearinghouse for Guidelines and Statements regarding Breast Diseases including all specialties and disciplines involved in breast care."

Raimund Jakesz, MD
BHGI Steering Committee
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
President, Breast Surgery International (BSI)
Professor and Head, Division of General Surgery, Vienna Medical University
Coordinator, Austrian Breast & Colorectal Cancer Study Group
Vienna, Austria

"I am proud to be an active member of The Breast Health Global Initiative. I fully support this Initiative in creating new alliances and enhancing collective engagement for the benefit of breast cancer patients in underserved communities. We owe our patients the most intensive extent of international collaboration between thought leaders in breast health."

Raimund V. Jakesz, MD, received his training at Medical School, University of Vienna, Austria (graduated in 1973), and at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda/MA. At the latter institution, Dr. Jakesz focused on research in estrogen receptor regulation in human breast cancer cells.

A Full Professor of Surgery, he is the current Chair of Vienna Medical School's Division of General Surgery. Major research interests at the Division include surgical oncology and endocrinology, translational research, experimental immunotherapy and gene therapy, and research in predictive and prognostic markers for breast and colorectal cancer. Over the past two decades, furthermore, Dr. Jakesz has been Coordinator, Austrian Breast & Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG). In this function, he has conceptualized, initiated and carried out more than a dozen, prospectively randomized, multicenter clinical trials involving some 13,000 patients. These interdisciplinary investigations in adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment modalities have been implemented at some 70 specialist centers across Austria. In these two frameworks, Dr. Jakesz' clinical activities chiefly include patients with breast, colorectal, gastric and pancreatic disease; experimental activities include research in growth factors in human cancer cells and the influence of cytokines on cancer cell growth.

Dr. Jakesz is an active member of several professional associations and editorial boards in Europe and abroad - AACR, ASCO, BSI/ISS, ESMO and ESSO - and has presented the results of research conducted by the Division and the ABCSG at various international conferences. In 2001, he was nominated Member of the St. Gallen International Consensus Panel on the Treatment of Primary Breast Cancer.

Kardinah, MD
Global Summit Panelist
Medical Staff, Department of Diagnostic Radiology.
Member of Breast Cancer Team in Dharmais Hospital
Member of Jakarta Breast Cancer Society (pop. screening/West Jakarta)
Dharmais Hospital, National Cancer Center,
Jakarta, Indonesia

"To participate in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative is the best way to learn more about management of breast cancer and solve the problem which is suitable to Indonesia's condition."

I graduated as General Practitioner in 1985 from University of Indonesia, Jakarta and went to North Bengkulu (Sumatra Island) to do compulsory service for government as a GP. I took radiology residency in the same university from 1989 and graduated as radiologist in 1993. National Cancer Center was opened in 1993 and I joined them. I have been working here since then. In 1999 I got fellowship from UICC studying in breast and lung imaging in Dijkzigt Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. My work is more focused in breast imaging; am trying to improve the quality of imaging so the diagnose could be more accurate.

In 2001, I was appointed as the head of breast team with the duty to coordinate all units in this hospital. This team is medical and should cooperate with all hospital organs including non medical ones to improve breast cancer service. As a referral hospital, the National Cancer Center initiated to open early detection unit in 2001 and to develop social oncology to give more information about cancer to the public as well. The first project was to make network in 8 (eight) Primary Health Cares (Puskesmas) in West Jakarta. The next year we added 4 (four) primary health cares from other parts of Jakarta. In 2003, I got another fellowship from Dutch Cancer Society for breast imaging and familial cancer, in Groningen University Hospital and Vrije University Hospital ,The Netherlands. Despite of the introduction of early detection unit and social oncology unit breast cancer patients come to the hospital in advanced stage. This condition is common cancer patient in Indonesia. Breast cancer could be detected in earlier phase and always should end in dying. The lack of knowledge and fear of medical therapy are the causes of belated visit to the center. Jakarta Breast Cancer Foundation was founded in 2003, a non governmental group consisting of survivor, volunteer and medical doctor to work together with vision to decrease advanced breast cancer in 2020. Its mission is to make awareness in the society and early detection programs, to support breast cancer patient as well. For 2005, one mammography mobile unit to serve women around Jakarta with reduce cost of mammography or free mammography in high risk group is planned.

Ranjit Kaur, MSc
Survivor & Advocate, Global Summit Presenter
President, Reach for Recovery/International Union Against Cancer (UICC)
President, Breast Cancer Welfare Association
Chair, Malaysian Breast Cancer Council
Malaysia

"I am involved with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because as a breast cancer survivor and an advocate on the rights of women to breast health and in breast cancer issues globally, and particularly in developing countries. I address burning issues of inequity including social, vocational and health benefits for women in general and women with breast cancer in particular."

Ranjit is the Manager of Public Affairs Projects in a Corporate Company in Malaysia. She is a qualified physiotherapist and she holds a Master of Science Degree (MSc) in Community Disability Studies (UK).

Ranjit's voluntary involvement in breast cancer work started after she was diagnosed of breast cancer in May 1998. The positions held by her include: Local level: President of Breast Cancer Welfare Association in Malaysia National level: President of Malaysian Breast Cancer Council International level: President of Reach To Recovery International Breast Cancer Support Network (RRI), an umbrella body under the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) for all breast cancer support groups worldwide.

As the President of Reach To Recovery International, Ranjit works towards promoting support, education, networking and training on breast health and breast cancer issues through national and international collaboration. She endeavours to develop the cause of volunteer peer support and improve the quality of life for women with breast cancer and their families.

Ranjit conducts training programmes and workshops for staff and volunteers on the provision of psychosocial support for women diagnosed with breast cancer and their families, with particular emphasis on the emotional and cultural aspects. She has presented several papers and talks as a breast cancer survivor and advocate at national forums and international conferences.

Arun Kurkure, MBBS, MS
Global Summit Panelist
Honorary Secretary and Managing Trustee
Indian Cancer Society (India)
National Headquarters: Lady Ratan Tata Medical and Research Centre
Hon. Consultant, Department Of Surgical Oncology
Breach Candy Hospital & Research
Principal Investigator for the Mumbai Cancer Registry
Mumbai, INDIA

"In India breast cancer incidence is increasing at a rate of 1.52 APC. This rising burden is associated with relatively high mortality rates as compared to developed world. The public health approach to this problem has to be practical with simple interventions with capacity building at local level. The emphasis should be awareness /educational programmes and early detection. It is important to realize that these programmes and standard treatment guidelines and patient's support system should be implemented simultaneously. The body like ^The Breast Health Global Initiative can take a lead in formulating treatment guidelines and creating education programmes."

Dr. Arun Kurkure is the Honorary Secretary and Managing Trustee of the Indian Cancer Society. He is the Principal Investigator for the Mumbai Cancer Registry; the oldest population based Cancer Registry in India. He is an Executive Committee Member of the Indian Co-operative Oncology Network and an invited Member to the Research Advisory Board of the Roche Scientific Company (India) Private Limited. He is an Advisory Board Member of the Asia Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention and on the editorial board of Indian Journal of Cancer. He is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and Indian Society of Oncology.

Since June of 2002, Dr. Arun Kurkure is working as Executive Council Member of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC). Dr. Arun Kurkure is a Member of the Cancer Knowledge Transfer Steering Group and a Member of the Cancer Control Planning Task Force, a Member of the 2006 UICC World Cancer Congress Program Executive Committee.

He is an Honorary Consultant, Department of Surgical Oncology, at Breach Candy Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India. Dr. Kurkure's main academic interest is the Management of Breast Cancer and Gynaecological Cancers. Dr. Arun Kurkure received a Masters in General Surgery in 1979 from the University of Mumbai. He trained in the field of Oncology at the Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India and subsequently trained at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK and the Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, UK from 1978-1983.

Eun Sook Lee, MD, PhD
Recipient, National Cancer Institute (NCI)/Global Summit Traveling Scholar Award
Chief of Center for Breast Cancer, National Cancer Center
Goyang, Korea

Dr. Eun Sook Lee is a surgical oncologist at the Center for Breast Cancer of the National Cancer Center in Goyang city, Korea. Her training as a M.D. and a general surgeon was completed in Korea University Hospital, Korea. In 1994, she was awarded Korea University alumni scholarships that allowed her to learn and research about molecular biology at the Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular biology in M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. From 1995 to 2000, she was worked as a faculty surgeon in Korea University Ansan Hospital, and appointed as an assistant professor in Medical college of Korea University. During this period, she also had her abroad training as a Visiting Assistant Professor at R. Lurie Cancer Center of Northwestern University from 1998-2000. She was awarded Avon Scholarship for Breast Cancer Research at 1999. Since December of 2000, she is actively working as a Chief of Center for Breast Cancer, National Cancer Center, Korea. Currently her research interests are hormone resistance of breast cancer and QOL of breast cancer survivors, and she works closely with the breast cancer support groups and non-government organizations to promote health awareness and early detection of breast cancer.

She is a Board member of National Cancer Control Planning Board and The Supporting and Evaluation Board of National Cancer Screening Program in Korea. She is also a member of the board of directors of Korean Cancer Association.

Laura Liberman, MD, FACR
Global Summit Panelist
Director of Breast Imaging Research Programs
Attending Radiologist, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Professor of Radiology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University
New York, New York

"I am involved with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative to help disseminate the best possible methods for breast cancer diagnosis to countries throughout the world. Minimally invasive techniques are available that allow non-surgical diagnosis of breast lesions. These methods can spare surgery in women with benign lesions and can decrease the number of operations in women with breast cancer. Minimally invasive breast biopsies are accurate, fast, less invasive, and more comfortable for the patient than surgery, and they also are less expensive. If we are able to disseminate these techniques, women around the world can receive better care at lower cost."

Dr. Liberman is the Director of Breast Imaging Research Programs and Attending Radiologist in the Breast Imaging Section of the Department of Radiology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and is a Professor of Radiology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York, New York. She graduated from Harvard University Summa Cum Laude in 1980. Dr. Liberman graduated from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York in 1984, did her internship in Medicine and Residency in Radiology at Cornell from 1984-1990, and has been on the Faculty at Memorial Sloan-Kettering since 1990.

Dr. Liberman has done extensive research in Breast Imaging and Breast Biopsy, being an author of over 80 peer-reviewed publications and 21 book chapters and an editor of two major textbooks. Her particular area of expertise is in percutaneous image-guided breast needle biopsy, under the guidance of stereotaxis, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging. Dr. Liberman has done pioneering work in the area of breast needle biopsy, helping to develop and refine techniques, determine indications for surgical excision, and provide analyses of cost-effectiveness.

In addition, Dr. Liberman is a Fellow of the American College of Radiology and a Fellow in the Society of Breast Imaging. She has served as a member of the Clinical Advisory Board of the Breast Examination Center of Harlem, as well as a member of the Diagnostic Imaging Study Section of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Liberman has lectured extensively in the United States and abroad, and has received awards for excellence in teaching and mentorship.

Susan M. London, MS, ELS
BHGI/GUIDELINES Publication Editor & Consultant
Owner, Biomedical Writing and Editing
Seattle, Washington

"I am involved in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) because it is a privilege and a unique opportunity to contribute to an effort that will benefit women worldwide, as well as their partners, families, and communities. In addition, guidelines are one of our most powerful tools for improving health care, but they must be clear and easy to read to be effective. By advocating for the unseen reader, I hope to help ensure that the BHGI guidelines will be read and will be used to improve breast health care in limited-resource settings."

Susan London is a freelance medical writer and editor. She holds a master's degree in physiology and professional certifications from the American Medical Writers Association and the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences. Ms. London works with clients around the world to help them communicate medical information clearly, accurately, and effectively; her areas of specialty are oncology and cardiovascular medicine. In addition, she co-teaches an introductory class on science writing at a community college and participates in science education projects for elementary and middle school students. Ms. London has been involved with the BHGI since its inception in 2002, when she assisted with the editing and publication of the guidelines for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer in countries with limited resources.

Richard Reed Love, MD, MS
Global Summit Panelist
Professor of Medicine and Director of International Oncology
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A

"I am involved with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because developing interventions to better control or treat breast cancer in countries with limited resources has been the major focus of my research for the past 20 years. My hope is the BHGI can encourage public health approaches to breast cancer globally [see Love, RR, SM Love and AV Laudico, Breast cancer from a public health perspective Breast J, 2004 10(2): p 136-140]."

I currently have two phase III breast cancer treatment clinical trials and am planning a third phase III trial, with clinical sites at major cancer hospitals in Vietnam, Philippines, China, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria and Morocco. I spend approximately one-third of my time at these clinical sites, and a second third dealing with these projects from my new academic home at Ohio State University, and a third of my time seeing patients with breast cancer as a medical oncologist.

Riccardo Masetti, MD
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Surgical Oncologist
Director of the Breast Surgical Unit
Associate Professor of Surgery
Professor of Surgical Oncology
Professor of Breast Diseases, Postgraduate School of General Surgery
Professor of Surgical Physiopathology,
Postgraduate School of Thoracic Surgery
Catholic University of Rome
Rome, Italy

"If we want to make this world better, we should learn to pay more attention to the needs of those who have limited resources. According to the WHO, in 2020 about 70% of all cancers will occur in developing countries; these countries will be able to rely only on 5% of all resources and nobody is doing much about it. I am involved in the ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because I am convinced that it can appropriately address this issue, affect this inequality and consequently help to save lives to breast cancer on a global scale."

Dr. Masetti is Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of the Surgical Breast Unit at the Catholic University of Rome, Italy. He is also Professor of Surgical Oncology in the Postgraduate School of Oncology at the same University. He received his degree as a M.D. and a surgical oncologist in Italy, and has performed numerous postgraduate training stages in in top-ranking cancer centers in Europe and the United States (such as the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the Van Nuys Breast Center).

He is an active member of many International Scientific Societies and has been a Founding Member and General Secretary (1998 -2000) of the World Society for Breast Health. His interest in promoting breast health awareness and early detection has led Dr. Masetti to start the Italian Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, that is now acknowledged among the more active non-profit organizations in the fight against breast cancer in Italy. Through this effort, Dr. Masetti has been able to facilitate the funding of innovative outreach programs that currently provide medically underserved communities in Central Italy with effective opportunities of early detection and improved breast cancer care.

Medical Education is another of his major academic interests. Dr. Masetti is the Director of a multi-annual "Educational Program in Breast Cancer in Italy", currently in its sixth year, that has provided free opportunities for continuing medical education to more than 10.000 health care providers in 68 cities of central and southern Italy. He is also the Director of two Continuing Education programs in Oncology for Primary Care Physicians and Medical Students funded by the Italian Ministry for University. Dr. Masetti has been involved in the Breast Health Global Initiative since the very beginning. He served in the 2002 Global Summit Consensus Conference in Seattle as a Faculty Member and Co-Author of the guidelines for treatment of breast cancer in countries with limited resources.

Shahla Masood, MD
BHGI Steering Committee
Global Summit Panel Co-Chair - Diagnosis & Pathology
Editor-in-Chief, The Breast Journal
Breast Pathologist
Professor and Associate Chair, Department of Pathology
University of Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

"As the founder and Editor of The Breast Journal, the Director of an Annual Multidisciplinary Symposium on Breast Disease and the Founding President of International Society of Breast Pathology, it is my privilege to be contributing to the efforts of ^The Breast Health Global Initiative. Cancer of the breast remains a medical and social challenge. Despite centuries of scientific inquiry and medical research, little is understood about the etiology, biology, or molecular events underlying the development of breast cancer. Many women still die of breast cancer across the globe. This is a heterogeneous disease with no known cause or cure. The magnitude of problems associated with breast cancer calls for action at an international level in order to better understand the incidence and the pattern of presentation of this disease and to focus on better management of patients."

Dr. Shahla Masood is a Persian born physician, who currently holds the positions of Professor and Associate Chair Department of Pathology at University of Florida and Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Shands Jacksonville. She is also the Director of the Pathology Residency training and Cytopathology Fellowship programs. An internationally recognized expert in breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis, Dr. Masood has fostered the concept of an integrated multidisciplinary approach in breast cancer care, research and education.

She is the founder and the Past President of the "International Society of Breast Pathology" and the Director of the "Annual Multidisciplinary Symposium on Breast Disease", as well as the Director of "The Breast Cancer Public Forum." Dr. Masood is heavily involved in the study of minimally invasive procedures such as fine needle aspiration biopsy and ductal lavage in providing diagnostic and prognostic information in high risk and breast cancer patients. She has defined the cytomorphology of high-risk proliferative breast disease in early 1990's and has pioneered the concept of cytomorphology as a breast cancer predictor. Dr. Masood is the author of the textbook; "Cytopathology of the Breast" has numerous publications and presentations, is a frequent speaker at national and international symposiums, and is a member of several consensus meetings.

A. Nandakumar, MD, MPH
Global Summit Panelist
Deputy Director General (Sr.Grade)
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) And Officer-in-Charge
National Cancer Registry Programme of India (ICMR)
Bangalore INDIA

"I am involved with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because of conducting a national study on "Patterns of Care and Survival in Breast Cancer" in India. The problems of early diagnosis, prompt cancer directed treatment, completion of treatment and regular periodic follow-up are features peculiar to the Indian situation and perhaps of relevance in any developing country setting. The Breast Health Global Initiative provides an opportunity to address these issues and standardise such aspects of diagnosis and management of breast cancer in under-served countries."

Dr A. Nandakumar is an MBBS and postgraduate MD in pathology from the Bangalore Medical College in Bangalore, India. Before being associated with the National Cancer Registry Programme of India in 1981 he was a Lecturer in Pathology, at the M.S. Ramaiah Medical College in Bangalore and was associated with the blood bank and department of haematology at the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore. He went on an International Agency for Research on Cancer fellowship to the Queen Elizabeth Medical Centre in Perth in Australia (under Professor Bruce Armstrong) for one year in 1984-85 and later on did his Master of Public Health in Epidemiology at the University of Washington in Seattle in 1987-89. He is currently directing the National Cancer Registry Programme that includes twelve population based and five hospital based cancer registries. The initial phase of a WHO project on "Development of an Atlas of Cancer in India" involving 105 centres across India has just been completed under his supervision and direction. Another study on "Patterns of Cancer Patient Care and Survival" with focus on cancer breast, cancer cervix and head and neck cancers, has been initiated under his stewardship. With the rising incidence of breast cancer in India Dr Nandakumar's interest is to have specific guidelines for early diagnosis and management of this cancer wit specific reference to India.

Lennarth Nyström, PhD
Global Summit Panelist
Associate professor in epidemiology
Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine
Division of Epidemiology and Public Health Sciences
Umeå University
Umeå, Sweden

Lennarth Nyström is associate professor and senior lecturer at Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Division of Epidemiology and Public Health Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. He graduated in applied statistics at Department of Statistics, Umeå University in 1970 and worked there as a lecturer 1968-78. Then he moved to the Medical Faculty at the same university to lecture in biostatistics. Research was initially focused on register and occupational epidemiology. In the mid 80ies he was invited by the Swedish Cancer Society to design a nationwide data base for the planned service-screening with mammography. The plan was turned into an overview of the Swedish randomized controlled trials of mammography screening (five out of eight trials have been performed in Sweden). The results of the overviews, the first published in the Lancet in 1992 and the latest in 2002, constitute the base for introduction of service-screening with mammography worldwide. Since the start of the Swedish service-screening program with mammography in 1986 the focus of the research has gradually changed to develop models for evaluation of service-screening programs. Since the mid 90ies he has been a member of the Advisory Board of the European Breast Screening Network and the Swedish representative in the International Breast Screening Network.

He was involved in the revision of the epidemiology chapter of the 3^rd revision of the European Guidelines for mammography screening and is currently involved in the 4^th revision. He was a member of the expert committee that revised the Swedish Guidelines for mammography screening in 1998. Other research is focused on epidemiological studies of celiac diseases, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis as well as reproductive health in Africa

Sherif Omar, MD, FACS
BHGI Steering Committee
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Professor of Surgical Oncology
Past President, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University
International Network for Cancer Treatment & Research (INCTR) / Breast Cancer Strategy Group
Council member of International Union Against Cancer (UICC)
Cairo, Egypt

Dr. Omar is a professor of surgical oncology at National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University. He had his training in Gustave Roussy Cancer Centre in Paris 1970-1972, Sloan Ketering Cancer Center in New York 1972-1973 and in Tokyo Cancer Center 1975. He was appointed as professor on 1980 and on 1999 he occupied the Dean p! osition of the NCI till 2001. He received the National Prize in Surgery on 1980. Although he supervised 31 theses for postgraduate Doctor Degree, his main interest was in breast cancer, as it is the most common cancer affecting females in Egypt and North Africa and its features look more aggressive than other parts of the world, he supervised 13 MD doctor degree in breast cancer and he also produced 73 articles published in international and national medical journals.

His continuous cooperation with Gustave Roussy Cancer Center- Breast Cancer Group came into view as "Breast Cancer" book edited by him and Dr. G. Contesso, head of pathology department. Breast cancer book appeared in four editions, the latest was on 2001 and the fifth is in publications, this book is widely distributed in Middle East and different parts of the world.

He independently founded a non-profit rural cancer center in small city of Nile Delta in Egypt (Fakous Cancer Center) that acts as primary and secondary health care center. He had the opportunity to work as health strategic leader when elected as parliament member for 10 years, five of them acted as the head of Parliament's Health and Welfare Committee. On 1980, he received first class decoration of science and art from the President of Egypt and the golden medal of World Health Organization in 1988. He has special interest in cancer control program in regions of limited resources; he is the founder and the director of screening and early detection unit at NCI. On 2002, he was elected as an UICC council member.

Mary Onyango
Recipient of Susan G. Komen for the Cure ADVOCATE TRAVELING SCHOLARSHIP
Executive Director
Kenya Breast Health Programme
NAIROBI, KENYA

Mary Onyango is a professional accountant, breast cancer survivor, founder member and Executive Director of the Kenya Breast Health Programme. She graduated with a B.Com (Accounting) from the University of Nairobi in 1981, obtained a CPA certification in 1994 and an MBA from Maastricht University (Netherlands) in 2002. She is a member of the Kenya Institute of Management. In 1999 while undergoing treatment for Breast Cancer, Mary became a founder member of the Kenya Breast Health Programme serving on the Steering Committee of the Programme. From 2000 to 2003 as a volunteer, she played an active role in the Programme's awareness creation initiatives. This culminated in the Programme hosting the first ever Breast Cancer Survivors Conference in 2002 bringing together over 100 Breast Cancer Survivors from all over the country. Survivors shared experiences and developed a strategic plan for setting up Breast Cancer Survivors support networks which would also carry out awareness activities in a region where myths and lack of accurate information is a major impediment to the effective management of Breast Cancer.

In May 2003, she was appointed the Executive Director of the Programme. Under her guidance, the Program has gained national recognition pioneering a unique mobile phone text message service where people are able to text questions while subscribers get regular tips on Breast Cancer. The program also conducted 12 free breast screening clinics countrywide over the last 18 months. In February 2004, she successfully lobbied the Government of Kenya to setup a Breast Cancer Working Group within the Ministry of Health to identify the gaps that exist in Breast Healthcare and develop Guidelines which will standardize Breast Healthcare in all medical facilities in the country. She is a member of this Committee.

Vahit Özmen, MD, FACS
Global Summit Panelist
Professor of Surgery
Department of Surgery, The Breast Unit,
Istanbul Medical Faculty,
Istanbul University, Çapa
Istanbul, Turkey

"I know ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) from World Society for Breast Health (WSBH), and Professor Benjamin Anderson. According to me, BHGI will help to increase the knowledge of early diagnosis of breast cancer in developing countries."

"I graduated from Istanbul Medical Faculty with the first degree in 1978. I did my residency in the Department of Surgery, Istanbul Medical Faculty from 1978 to 1983. I worked as a postdoctoral fellow in Tulane University of New Orleans from 1989 to 1991. And, I also worked as visiting professor in MD Anderson Cancer Center with Dr. SE Singletary and Mayo Clinics with Dr. J Donohue for short periods. Now, I have been working as professor of surgery in Istanbul Medical Faculty since 1995."

"We have breast clinics since 1986 and more than 5000 women have been examined in this clinic annually. We have been also performing more than 400 surgical procedures for new breast cancer patients in a year."

"I founded the first Breast Society with my colleauges in Istanbul and Turkey in 1989 and later we have founded National Breast Society in 2001, and I am general secretary of this society. I have organized eight National Congresses and 9 post-graduate courses on Breast Cancer. I am also one of the founders of World Society for Breast Health (WSBH). And we did first Congress of the WSBH in 2001 in Istanbul, Turkey. I have more than 200 papers published in Turkish and English on breast cancer. I have ongoing two projects in Turkey. The first project is breast cancer registry in Turkey sponsored by Novartis, the second project is early diagnosis and screening of the breast cancer in Turkey sponsored by Health Ministry of Turkey and European Union. I am also president of Breast Cancer Screening and Early Diagnosis Committee of Turkey. I have communications with Greece, Bulgaria and Romania for common screening programs for breast cancer."

Maxwell Parkin, MD, MFCM, BSc, MRCP (UK)
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Formerly ~ Head of the Descriptive Epidemiology Programme at the International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC), Division of the World Health Organization (WHO), Lyon, France
Currently ~ Visiting Consultant
Clinical Trials Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit at the University of Oxford
Oxford, United Kingdom

"I am involved in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) because of a long-term professional interest in cancer control in general, and in screening/early detection in particular. Early detection of breast cancer is a huge challenge for developing countries, and led to the setting up of a trial of early detection in Manila, Philippines, in 1991-92."

Dr Parkin graduated in medicine from Edinburgh University in 1968. His initial specialisation was in internal medicine (gastroenterology), with research interests in gastrointestinal bacteriology and immunology. He moved to public health/epidemiology in 1973, working in Edinburgh (1973-76), Leeds (1977-80) and finally Lyon (1981-present) with a sabbatical year at the University of Michigan in 1979/80. At IARC, Lyon, he joined the Descriptive Epidemiology Unit in 1981 (Head: Dr Calum Muir), and in 1986 became Head of this Unit. He retired from IARC in November 2004. Dr Parkin is currently the President of the International Association of Cancer Registries (IACR), and is now working as a visiting epidemiologist at the Clinical Trials Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, at the University of Oxford, UK

His main research interests are in descriptive epidemiology [international cancer patterns and trends), with a major concern for cancer registration, and in early detection (screening) for cancer]. More than 300 papers have been published in the international literature.

Gheorghe C. Peltecu, MD, PhD, FACS
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Professor and Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Carol Davila University of Medicine and Filantropia Hospital
Bucharest, Romania

"I have decided to join ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) with the hope to add my modest contribution and effort to the improvement of early detection, treatment and outcome of the patients with breast cancer, in countries with limited resources. I am sure that this initiative will increase standards and will provide the best evidence-based patient care practice."

Dr. Peltecu is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Carol Davila University of Medicine and Filantropia Hospital, Bucharest, Romania. He was graduated at Carol Davila University of Medicine. After graduation he spent three years as intern in surgery in the major hospitals of Bucharest where he was first involved in the treatment of breast cancer.

Following the residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology he became specialist and then consultant in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Filantropia Hospital. His interest in breast cancer was increasing especially after 1990 when he gained a grant offered by the Swiss Government, "Young Professors Grant from Eastern Europe", for training at University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland (1992-1993). Here he saw and shortly after performed, his first conservative surgical treatment of early breast cancer. Returning to Romania he started a PhD thesis having as topic the conservative surgical treatment of breast cancer in the effort to change the old and widely spread attitude of unjustified radicalism.

Dr. Peltecu has already acted to convince the medical community that the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer require a multydisciplinary team activity in which all members, from GP, surgeon, gynecologist, medical oncologist, pathologist, radiation therapist, plastic surgeon, psychologist, should benefit and implement the best evidence-based patient care practice. Dr. Peltecu was a Visiting Clinician at Mayo Clinic, R ochester, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Karolinska Hospital, AKH- Vienna and Senior Visiting Lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. He is co-founder and Vice-President of the "Romanian Society of Breast Pathology."

In 2003 Dr. Peltecu was appointed Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is also principal investigator for several international clinical trials involving patients with breast cancer. Dr. Peltecu's effort in the field of breast cancer was rewarded by editing a comprehensive monograph entitled, "The Conservative Treatment of Early Breast Cancer," having as co-authors well-known specialists from MD Anderson, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Cente, Harvard Medical School, European Institute of Oncology (EIO-Milan), American Cancer Society (ACS), Mayo Clinic (Rochester), John Wayne Cancer Institute, University College London, University of Washington (UW, Seattle), McGill University (Montreal), University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), Emory University (Atlanta), Ludwig Maximiliens Universitat (Munchen), Oncological Institutes from Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca. The aim of the book was to offer a standard of diagnosis and treatment for patients with early breast cancer.

Paola Pisani, PhD
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Descriptive Epidemiology Group
International Agency for Research on Cancer
Division of World Health Organization (IARC/WHO)
Lyon, France

Paola PISANI is an Epidemiologist in the Descriptive Epidemiology Group at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), WHO, Lyon, France.

"I am involved in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) because as a cancer epidemiologist working on cancer control in Eastern Asia and Latin America I have observed the continuing rise of breast cancer in populations where it used to be rare, with health infrastructures not prepared to face the new challenge. With colleagues in the Philippines we have tested a low-cost procedure to downstage breast cancer. But women in Manila do not trust they can be cured. Still too many refuse final diagnosis and treatment until it is too late. We are working now to improve confidence and access in the population".

Dr Pisani graduated in Mathematics at the State University of Milan in 1980, then obtained her PhD at the Faculty of Medicine. She was an Associate Researcher, then Scientist in the Epidemiology Department of the local Cancer Institute in Milan, Italy from 1986 to 1991.

At the Cancer Institute in Milan, Dr Pisani was involved in descriptive studies of cancer through the local cancer registry and participated in several analytical studies: incidence of second primary tumors in cervical cancer patients following radiation treatment, retrospective studies of cancer of the oral cavity, larynx, hypopharynx and lung following tobacco smoking and occupational exposure to chemical compounds. She worked at the setting up of one of the first prospective studies on hormones, diet and breast cancer initiated in Europe. In 1991 she was recruited by IARC where she started collaborations on cancer registration and control in Italy, Latin America, Eastern Asia and the Pacific Region. She was involved in the evaluation of the efficiency of cancer screening programs based on low technology procedures. She conducted a large intervention in Manila to downstage breast cancer by clinical examination performed by para-medical staff trained ad hoc. She actively contributes to the IARC GLOBOCAN program that provides estimates of world-wide cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence and of the proportion of cancers attributable to infectious agents, tobacco smoking, reproductive factors, obesity and alcohol consumption. Knowledge of the size of the cancer problem is a fundamental step to the development of cancer control programs.

Augustine Quashigah
Advocate, Global Summit Presenter
President, Breast Cancer Support Group (BCSG Ghana)
Vice President/Acting President
Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI)
Commitee Member, African Development Bank Project Steering Commitee
African Women's Development and Communications Network (FEMNETAccra)
Ghana, West Africa

"My involvement with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) is to establish a global frame work to combat the spread of Breast Cancer among women in developing country. To increase awareness of and to empower women leaving in both the urban and rural communities to detect breast cancer early and to report to hospital for treatment. To demystify breast cancer as a product of superstitions beliefs and practices in Africa. To create the necessary platform for the dissemination of information relating to the early detection of breast cancer and the corrective therapy."

Breast Cancer is a disease which disrupts the productive activities of women at their prime life. In this regards it is a development problem if Society is to derive maximum benefit from women as both productive and reproductive agents.

A recent UNESCO study show that women do two-thirds of the World’s work, earn 10% of the World's income and only 1% of the World's wealth. In developing country where the majority of income is derived from agriculture, 80% of production and hence of the economy production is in women's hands.

This responsibility is in addition to women's multiple roles as child bearer carer and feeder of the family including the extended family. In this regard, the total health of the women is crucial for the survival of the child and family, as well as the sustenance of the national economy and development. The health of these women must seen in its totality. It includes not only the physical, but also the mental, social and economic well being.

In conclusions, I wish to express that increased female education, better income and employment opportunities for women, and political support for women's overall empowerment concerning breast cancer is not a technical issue but a development problem.

The Breast Cancer Support Group of Ghana (BCSG) was established in 1997 by patients and activists of breast cancer to draw public attention to the adverse effects of breast cancer on the health status of women. The prime objective of the group is to create a general framework for discussion and exchange of views on the disease which affect women. Thus the basic aim of the Group can be summarized as -advocacy -information sharing -support for needy patients and public education campaign.

Scott Ramsey, MD, PhD
Global Summit Panel Co-Chair - Health Care Systems & Public Policy
Global Summit Presenter
Associate Member, Translational and Outcomes Research Group
Cancer Prevention Program, Public Health Sciences Division
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Seattle, Washington

"I am an internist and health economist with an interest in technology assessment and cost-effectiveness analysis. I'm interested in applying principles of cost-effectiveness analysis to help developing countries allocate scare health care resources to maximize the health of their populations."

Dr. Ramsey, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, is a recognized leader in cost-effectiveness analysis; however, his studies to date have focused on new medical technologies applied in the United States. Dr. Ramsey recognizes the potential value of cost-effectiveness analysis to make resource allocation decisions in developing countries with limited resources. Nevertheless, cost-effectiveness analysis has rarely been used to inform treatment decisions in developing countries, and to our knowledge, has never been applied to cancer screening or treatment in these settings. Given the cost of cancer-related technology relative to interventions for other diseases, emerging economies must allocate their limited health budgets so that their cancer program produces the greatest health results for expenditure.

Larissa Remennick, PhD
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Chair, Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Bar-Ilan University
Ramat-Gan, Israel

"Women's beliefs, fears and motivations that inform their breast screening practices are culturally and historically specific and need to be understood within concrete contexts of their lives. To enhance breast awareness and preventative attitude among various groups of women in multi-cultural societies, we have to start from assessing women's subjective perceptions, trying to comprehend rather than judge..."

Larissa Remennick, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Sociology and former Chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology in Bar-Ilan University in Greater Tel-Aviv, Israel. She received her Ph.D. in sociology and demography of health from the former USSR Academy of Sciences in Moscow (1988). Her research interests and writing include various issues in women's health, specifically breast cancer, in terms of social epidemiology, behavioral aspects of early detection, and illness experiences. She had studied social factors (including sexuality and fertility) affecting breast and other reproductive cancer rates in the former Soviet Union and later on in Israel. In 1998 Larissa published a book-size monograph "The Cancer Problem in the Context of Modernity: Sociology, Demography, Politics," in which she summarized the key issues in cancer control viewed through the lens of social science. Prof. Remennick is especially interested in cross-cultural approaches to the study of cancer-related behaviors and the development of culturally sensitive tools for cancer prevention and care in diverse modern societies. After moving to Israel in 1991, she conducted research on health behaviors among former Soviet immigrant women, including a two-phase study (a survey and in-depth interviews) of the attitudes and practices related to the early detection of breast cancer. Her findings point to a significant gap between women's cognitions and practices, whereby well-educated women with past experience of organized preventive care and breast screening in the former USSR subsequently neglect available preventive services in breast health upon migration to Israel. Prof. Remennick's research offers some explanations of this ostensibly irrational behavior among migrant women and some solutions for improving their preventative practice.

Sylvia Robles, MD, MSc
BHGI Steering Committee & Global Summit Panelist
Unit Chief, Noncommunicable Diseases
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)
Washington, D.C.

A national of Chile, Dr. Robles obtained her degrees at the University of Toronto. Dr. Robles has worked in research and program evaluation internationally. Dr. Robles joined PAHO ten years ago as a country epidemiologist in Honduras, where she developed a project to build epidemiological capacity in health regions during a decentralization process, with particular interest in assessing health and poverty. Dr. Robles joined the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD) Washington-based team in 1995 and became the Program Coordinator in 1998. Dr. Robles is now Unit Chief, where she oversees technical cooperation projects on NCD Prevention and Control for 28 countries.

Hélène Sancho-Garnier, MD
BHGI Steering Committee & Global Summit Panelist
Professor of Public Health, Scientific Director of Epidaure
Strategic Leader for Prevention and Early Diagnosis
International Union Against Cancer (UICC)
Member of the French UICC
Vald'Aurelle, France

"I think that, due to the increasing burden of breast cancer in developing countries, specific strategies have to be developed. These strategies have to take into account the health system, the socio-cultural and the economic possibilities for early diagnosis and care in each country."

Dr. Sancho-Garnier is professor of Public Health at the University of Montpellier, France and scientific director of Epidaure, the renowned education centre for cancer prevention in Montpellier. After clinical work in dermatology Dr. Sancho-Garnier devoted much of her time to research in cancer risk factors and cancer epidemiology, and to teaching biostatistics and public health. Her interests encompass methodology, evaluation, cancer registration, national cancer planning. Dr. Sancho-Garnier was involved in setting up France's pilot national screening program for breast cancer and is a member of the International Breast Screening Network. Dr. Sancho-Garnier actively supports cancer control efforts in developing countries, especially French-speaking and Spanish-speaking. She serves as Strategic Leader for Cancer Prevention and Early Detection at the International Union Against Cancer (UICC).

R. Sankaranarayanan, MBBS, MD
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Acting Head, Screening Group
International Agency for Research on Cancer
Division of World Health Organization (WHO-IARC)
Lyon, France

"I am involved in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) because it will provide a useful forum to discuss and catalyze the development of affordable, feasible and cost-effective breast cancer control policies pertaining to early detection and treatment practices in public health settings of less and medium-resourced countries that will contribute to further improvements in women's health world-wide."

Dr R. Sankaranarayanan is currently working at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO), Lyon, France. He graduated with an MBBS degree in 1978 and obtained his MD Degree in Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology from the University of Kerala, India, in 1982. He was a WHO Fellow in the US during 1987-88 and a Commonwealth Medical Fellow in the UK during 1988-89 when he had further training in cancer epidemiology and clinical research at the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, USA and the MRC Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge,U.K. He practiced clinical and radiation oncology, including primary care, and coordinated cancer epidemiological and clinical research at the Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum, India, during 1982-1993. During this period, he actively participated in the development of cancer control programmes in India.

He moved over to the IARC in 1993, where he worked as a Scientist/Medical Officer at the Descriptive Epidemiology Unit during April 1993 to April 2004. His job responsibilities in this position involved acquiring valid data on incidence, survival and mortality of cancer at national and sub-national levels, particularly in developing countries and evaluation of different early detection methods of cervical and oral cancers in low- and medium resourced settings. Since May 2004, he is the leader of the low-resource screening team and is the acting head of the screening group at IARC. His main research interests are in the evaluation of early detection approaches and cancer control in low- and medium resource countries.

Cecilia Sepúlveda, MD, MPH
Global Summit Panelist
Coordinator
Programme on Cancer Control
World Health Organization (WHO)
Geneva, Switzerland

Dr. Cecilia Sepúlveda is representing the World Health Organization (WHO) in the meeting convened by ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI). WHO is looking for new partnerships to support the implementation of the Cancer Prevention and Control Resolution, recently approved by the Executive Board (EB114-R2). The resolution requests WHO and urges its member states to continue developing strategies for the formulation and refinement of comprehensive cancer control programmes that consider evidence-based interventions from prevention to end-of life care. ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI might be one of the partners WHO convenes to address early detection and treatment of cancer once the resolution gets adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2005.

In 2000 as a result of a public application, Dr Sepulveda was appointed, coordinator of the WHO Programme on Cancer control. In the context of this programme, her main role is to coordinate efforts to assist low and middle-income countries in developing effective and efficient comprehensive cancer control programmes that will contribute to the reduction of the cancer burden and to the improvement of quality of life of patients and their families.

Dr. Sepúlveda graduated from the school of medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile in 1977. She worked for five years as a general practitioner in a primary health care setting in a poor community in Santiago. In 1982 was awarded a scholarship in public health and in 1983 received the degree of master in public health

From then on all her work and experience has been related to the design, development and evaluation of cancer control programmes from a public health perspective. From 1985 to 1998 was in charge of the National Cancer Control Programme in Chile which was developed within the WHO framework. During that period she coordinated tobacco control activities, cervical and breast cancer early detection programmes and initiated palliative care activities integrated into the care of cancer patients.

Roman Shyyan, MD, MSc
Global Summit Panel Co-Chair - Diagnosis & Pathology
Surgeon-Oncologist
Lviv Cancer Center
Official translator, Medical Section
Ukrainian edition of the Scientific American (Svit Nauky)
Scientific Editor & Medical Writer, Oncology Section
"Medicine of the World" Journal (Ukr)
Lviv, Ukraine

"I am involved in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) because I recognize that countries of limited resources are in urgent need of practical and comprehensive guidelines for management of breast cancer that can be used both on clinical and administrative levels to ensure more efficient allocation of available resources and facilitate implementation of best evidence-based patient care practice that would improve the outcome of the treatment."

Dr. Roman Shyyan is a surgical oncologist at the Lviv Regional Cancer Center - one of the major comprehensive diagnostic and treatment cancer institutions in Ukraine. He had a faculty research appointment at the Department of Oncology of the Lviv State Medical University in 1997-2001 and holds a Master's degree in Medical Sciences. In 2002 Dr. Shyyan was awarded a Mayo Foundation Visiting Clinician Scholarship and completed a 6-month appointment at the Department of Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. In 1999-2001 Dr. Shyyan was an oncology reviewer and translator of the Ukrainian edition of Scientific American and was involved in translation of the Dorland's Medical Dictionary. Since 2000 Dr. Shyyan is a senior oncology writer and reviewer of the Ukrainian medical journal "Medytsyna Svitu" (Medicine of the World). His involvement in breast health started in 1998 from cooperation with PATH (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health) activities in organising Women's Wellness Centers in several cities of Ukraine. Dr. Shyyan also participated in a number of projects of the American International Health Alliance in frame of the Lviv-Cleveland partnership program. Dr. Shyyan has been involved in the The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) since its creation in 2002, he served as a panellist at the Breast Health Global Summit in 2002 and participated in writing the guidelines for breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment in countries with limited health care resources. Dr. Shyyan has been providing his expertise in breast health issues to increase standards of care and promote integration of best clinical practice in countries with limited resources.

Robert A. Smith, PhD
Global Summit Panel Co-Chair - Early Detection and Access to Care
Director of Cancer Screening
National Office of the American Cancer Society (ACS)
Atlanta, Georgia

"I am pleased to be involved in ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) because it assembles researchers and organizations from around the world to identify new approaches to reducing the growing burden of breast cancer in countries with limited resources."

Dr. Robert A. Smith is a cancer epidemiologist and Director of Cancer Screening at the National Office of the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, Georgia. He also is Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University School of Medicine. His primary research interests are evaluation of cancer screening programs, adherence to cancer screening recommendations, and quality issues related to cancer screening. Prior to joining the staff at the ACS, he held positions with the Centers for Disease Control and the Boston University School of Public Health. He is the author of over 150 scientific articles, reports, and book chapters. He has served on many national and federal advisory committees and working groups, and is the Co-Chair of the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable. Presently he serves on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Breast Cancer Expert Group, the Centers for Disease Control's Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection and Control Advisory Committee, and he is Chair of the Data Safety and Monitoring Committee for the Digital Mammography Trial. In 1995, Dr. Smith was made an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Breast Imaging.

Tatiana Soldak, MD
Advocate, Global Summit Presenter
Medical Director, CitiHope International
Director ~ Belarusian Breast Cancer Screening and Early Diagnosis Project
New York, New York

"I want to be a part of ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) to help women and their doctors fight breast cancer with courage, proper knowledge, and available resources despite difficult economical situation. I first learned about breast cancer on a more personal level when my English teacher got this disease. I was struck with her struggle with breast cancer. She struggled so hard to get her life back and was anxious to get support; she was hungry for knowledge about the disease. She supported other women with breast cancer and was one of the first among many patients to learn about breast cancer on the NCI website. She feared not having enough medicines to complete her course of treatment." Dr. Tatiana Soldak is a Belarusian licensed physician and surgeon with specialized training in ENT disease and surgery, emergency and neurosurgery, otoneurology, tropical and infectious diseases.

Under a 2002-03 Susan G. Komen for the Cure grant, Dr. Soldak developed and directed the program "Rx For Breast Cancer Screening Programs in Countries With Poor Economies" in the Republic of Belarus. Aimed at reducing mortality rates from breast cancer via early detection, Dr. Soldak specifically designed a program for viability within developing rural areas of limited financial means. To achieve her programmatic goal, Dr. Soldak strategically emphasized the use of easily-replicable and cost-effective intervention methods. Specifically, the program utilized the "Training of Trainer" technique to promote integrated information, screening skills and community mobilization in a unified care approach.

Since 1993, Dr. Soldak has served as Medical Director of American non-profit CitiHope International, providing technical/managerial direction for medical relief and healthcare development programs. Specializing in the Newly Independent States (NIS), Dr. Soldak's healthcare development programs promote rational management of medical resources, combined with technical support and training for medical personnel in countries with transitional economies. Her work has taken her to Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, Turkmenistan and Dominican Republic. She has also managed medical programs for Malawi, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chile, Bolivia, Uzbekistan and El Salvador.

Helge Stalsberg, MD, PhD
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Professor and Consultant
Department of Pathology
University Hospital of North Norway
Tromsø, Norway

"I am involved with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because I want to contribute to this important effort to improve breast health care in countries with limited resources, through a synthesis of the experience of modern Western medicine and the practical possibilities of less affluent societies."

Dr. Stalsberg graduated as a MD from the University of Oslo in 1957 and received his scientific degree for a thesis study on the function of the pineal gland in 1965. He was trained as a pathologist in Oslo and was a consultant at the Norwegian Cancer Registry for two years. He moved to the newly established University of Tromsø in 1972 as a professor of anatomy and pathology and head of the also newly established Department of Pathology of the University Hospital. He retired from his university position in 1999 but continues to work as a consultant in the Department of Pathology. He was rector of the University of Tromsø 1981-85 and has served on a variety of boards and committees. He has a broad experience in surgical and autopsy pathology, and his scientific contributions include studies of tumors of the breast, colon, stomach, ovary, testis, thyroid and of cervical cytology. He contributed the Norwegian data to the UICC International Survey of Distributions of Histologic Types of Breast Cancer and chaired the similar study of tumors of the testis and ovary, both based on extensive slide reviews of national material. He was a member of the editorial committee for the 2^nd edition of the WHO International Histological Classification of Breast Tumours. He has been reference pathologist for breast tumors in The WHO Collaborative Study of Neoplasia and Steroid Contraceptives, in a multi-center study of breast cancer in American men, and in epidemiologic studies on breast tumors in Shanghai. He has visited the pathology departments of the County Hospital and the Oncology Center in Arkhangelsk, Russia and reviewed a number of cases for their Cancer Registry. He is Knight of 1^st Class of the Royal Norwegian St. Olav's Order.

Leslie Sullivan
Program Manager, The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI)
Public Health Sciences Division
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Seattle, Washington

"I am fortunate to be the Program Manager for ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI). It has been an honor to contribute to this global alliance, which creates a fundamental tool for improving breast health care in developing countries."

Leslie Sullivan has been the Program Manager for ^The BHGI since its inception in 2002. Under the auspices of the Hutchinson Center, ^The BHGI has evolved into a vigorous international collaboration of long-term alliances between foremost organizations and leaders in the field of breast cancer worldwide.

Prior to joining the Hutchinson Center, Ms. Sullivan worked for the University of Washington School of Medicine and Medical Center for 10 years in Development, Special Events and Community Outreach. Prior to this, she worked for Governors for the States of Washington and Nevada in Economic Development as Deputy Director of Tourism. Additionally, she has worked as a freelance business writer and editor.

Vivien Davis Tsu, PhD, MPH
Global Summit Panelist
Senior Program Officer, Epidemiologist
Reproductive Health
PATH - Program for Appropriate Technology in Health
Seattle, Washington, USA

"I am involved with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) because I believe it is critical that scarce health care resources in low-income countries be used wisely. As someone who works with an international NGO focusing on appropriate solutions for public health problems, I would like to work with the BHGI to share our experience in both breast and cervical cancer programs."

Dr. Tsu is Senior Program Officer in Reproductive Health at PATH and Affiliate Assistant Professor in Epidemiology at the University of Washington in Seattle. She graduated with an MPH in international health from UCLA and earned her PhD in Epidemiology at the University of Washington. Dr. Tsu has worked with PATH (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health) since 1981. She was Deputy Director of a program to strengthen breast cancer services in Ukraine from 1996-2000, and has been a leader in PATH's work in cervical cancer prevention since 1991. She is particularly interested in innovative screening strategies, assessing disease burden as part of advocacy efforts, and adapting complex treatment protocols to low-resource environments.

Hernan I. Vargas, MD, FACS
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Surgical Oncologist
Department of Surgery
Los Angeles County-Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
PERU / Torrance California

"My involvement with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) stems from a personal commitment of improving the outcome of patients suffering from breast cancer. The success of early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in medically underserved populations in developed and underdeveloped countries is limited. I hope that through the process of ^The Breast Health Global Initiative we can improve the quality of care for breast diseases for the medically underserved."

Dr. Hernan Vargas is a board certified general surgeon, and surgical oncologist. He is Associate Professor of Surgery at UCLA School of Medicine and is Chief of Surgical Oncology and Director of the Breast Program at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. The Breast Program at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center has been honored and recognized as a model clinic for the underserved population in Los Angeles County and has received the Silver Eagle Award for Comprehensive Breast Care from the County of Los Angeles.

Dr. Vargas was born in Peru and graduated from "Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru. He completed his residency and fellowship in surgical oncology at Harbor UCLA Medical Center and clinical and research fellowship in surgical oncology at the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Vargas is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and serves on the ACS Commission on Cancer. He is a member of the American Association of Cancer Research, the Society of Surgical Oncology and the American Society of Breast Surgeons. Dr. Vargas lectures nationally and internationally on various aspects of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

László Vass, MD, PhD, FIAC
BHGI Steering Committee
Global Summit Presenter & Panelist
Acting President, World Society of Breast Health (WSBH)
Chief pathologist of Pest County/Hungary
Head of the Department of Pathology Cytopathology of the University Hospital F. FLÓR of Pest County,
Budapest, Hungary

"As one of the founders of the Hungarian Senology Society (with Dr. Thomas Nagykalnai) we joined the World Society of Breast Health (WSBH) at its "statue nascendi". One of the project groups was working on guidelines, with the collaboration of Prof. Benjamin Anderson. The question has been raised and remained unanswered until now: how can we overcome the problem of the diversity of the world (which is in the other side its beauty as well)? How many guidelines should be created in only one topic? How should the excellent ideas and recommendations put into practice in different parts of the world with different historical, cultural, religious background, different amount of population, different, mainly restricted resources? How could guidelines oriented to developed countries be put in practice of in developing countries? To give an answer will not be simple but it is vital. This is the important task ^The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) took to define the most acceptable approach. I am convinced that, with all the knowledge, tolerance and open-mindedness, we have the opportunity to make dreams reality."

Vass is head of the Department of Pathology Cytopathology at the University Teaching Hospital F. Flór Pest County in Hungary. He graduated with an MD from the University of Budapest in 1970, obtained his Board Examination in Pathology in 1973. He started up his carrier with studying the human solid tumor chromosomes, dealt with the significance of the loss of the Y chromosome in human male solid cancer. Visited the Huddinge Sjukhus Pathology Department in 1975-76 studying chromosome alterations in sideroblast anemia. Here he had the opportunity to learn FNAB technique and the organization of an FNAB Clinic. Member of IAC in 1990, Fellow of IAC 1996. Honorary docent of the Semmelweis University giving lectures and practical teaching to medical students in pathology/cytopathology. He obtained the postdoctoral degree of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 1997, during the following year he obtained the PhD degree of the Semmelweis University Budapest. He made several study trips to different countries (UK, India, University of Pennsylvania), is working in the European Federation of Cytology Societies. He started the Diagnostic Breast Unit in Pest County in 1979, examined more than 32,000 breast patients until now. The model consists now from radiologist, pathologist/ cytopathologist, surgeon and clinical oncologist. Dr. Vass is part of the organizing committee of the two years old Hungarian nation wide organized breast screening program. Dr. Vass was secretary general and president of the Hungarian pathology Society, Board Member of the Hungarian Cancer Society, president of the Cytopathology Session of the Hungarian Pathology Society. His field is breast and salivary gland pathology, which are extremely similar areas from the tumor pathology point of view. He is part of the first PPP breast campaign in Hungary, which was initiated by Mrs. Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure and former US Ambassador to Hungary. The movement is looking toward more open, international co-operation. As acting president of the WSBH, Dr. Vass is very pleased to be part of the global endeavor of the BHGI.

Bhadrasain Vikram, Professor, MD
BHGI Steering Committee
Global Summit Panelist
Head of Radiotherapy & Applied Radiation Biology
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the United Nations (UN)
Vienna, Austria

Bhadrasain Vikram, MD is currently serving as Head of Radiotherapy & Applied Radiation Biology at the International Atomic Energy Agency of the United Nations in Vienna, Austria. He received his residency training in Radiation Oncology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY. He then held clinical and faculty appointments at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Cornell University Medical College, Mt Sinai School of Medicine and Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. From 1992-2003 he served as University Chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Radiation-Oncologist-in-Chief, Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY.

He has authored over 200 scientific publications, and was named as among the 'Best Doctors in America' by 'American Health' magazine, a Readers' Digest publication.

The International Atomic Energy Agency is a collaborating organization with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative and Dr. Vikram is a member of the BHGI Steering Committee.

Cheng-Har Yip, MD
Global Summit Panel Co-Chair - Health Care Systems & Public Policy
Global Summit Panelist
Professor and Head of Surgery
Department of Surgery
University Malaya Medical Centre
Chairman
National Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Breast Cancer in Malaysia
Chairman, Expert Committee for Breast Cancer in the National Cancer Registry of Malaysia.
President, Association of University Surgeons of Asia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

"I am involved with ^The Breast Health Global Initiative because as a doctor in a developing country, I realize that inequality exists in the quality of care a woman with breast cancer receives - between the rich and poor countries and also between the rich and poor within the same country - and my hope is that the BHGI can reduce this inequality by improving breast health care for women in medically-underserved communities."

Dr. Yip is professor and head of the Department of Surgery at the University Malaya Medical Centre, KuDala Lumpur. She graduated with an MBBS from the University of Malaya in 1981 and obtained her FRCS (Glasgow) in 1985. Professor Yip started the Breast Clinic in the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) in 1993. The Breast Unit in UMMC currently sees over 300 new cases of breast cancer every year. Professor Yip is the Chairman of the National Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Breast Cancer in Malaysia, which issued its first guideline in December 2002, and is also the Chairman of the Expert Committee for Breast Cancer in the National Cancer Registry of Malaysia. She is the president of the Association of University Surgeons of Asia and is a member of the Asian Breast Cancer Society. She is also a member of the UICC Capacity Building Oversight Group from 2002. Currently her research interests are in the epidemiology and psychosocial impact of breast cancer, and she works closely with the breast cancer support groups and non-government organizations to promote health awareness and early detection of breast cancer.

She is the Vice-Chairperson of the pro-tem committee of the Malaysian Breast Cancer Coalition, an advocacy group for breast cancer which is in its infancy in Malaysia, and is a technical advisor to the Breast Cancer Welfare Association, the main breast cancer support group in the country. She is also a member of the medical expert committee of the "Nur Sejahtera" programme, which was started by the Ministry of Women and Family, to set up wellness clinics for families from the lower socio-economic groups.

Mei-yu Yu, PhD, MD
Recipient, National Cancer Institute (NCI)/Global Summit Traveling Scholar Award
Principal Investigator, and Project Director
"Promoting the Early Detection of Breast Cancer Among Chinese Women through an International Collaborative Nursing Intervention"
University of Michigan School of Nursing
CHINA / Ann Arbor, MI

"Breast cancer incidence rate is increasing rapidly in China especially in big cities. China, however, has no nationally recognized breast cancer screening guidelines. I am involved with the Breast Health Global Initiative with a hope that I can contribute to the development of economically feasible, scientific and culturally appropriate breast cancer screening guidelines for China - a developing country which comprises one-fifth of the female population of the world."

Dr. Yu currently serves as Director of the Healthy Asian Americans Project (HAAP) at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. The mission of HAAP is to improve the overall health status of Asian Americans and to reduce health disparities through research, education, and health promotion. Dr. Yu is also the Director of the International Health Promotion Project at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. Funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, she is conducting a "Train the Trainer" breast cancer screening promotion project in China Funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, entitled "Promoting the Early Detection of Breast Cancer among Chinese Women through an International Collaborative Nursing Intervention," initiated in early 2004. The overall goal of this project is to promote the early detection of breast cancer in China, focusing on implementing breast self-examination (BSE), through trained community nurses. This project has been conducted by collaborative American (University of Michigan School of Nursing) and Chinese (Tianjin Medical University School of Nursing) institutes. More specifically, the project provides an education program of breast cancer early detection to approximately 200 Chinese nurses. Every trained nurse is required to provide education about early breast cancer detection, with an emphasis on BSE, to an average of 5 women during a three-month period through health fairs, seminars, workshops, and/or personal instruction. Based on the project findings, recommendations regarding early detection of breast cancer that are appropriate to Chinese women with various resources to breast health care will be proposed and disseminated.

Mei-yu Yu received her M.D. from Shanghai Medical University of China in 1968 and was a physician for 13 years. She earned her Ph.D. in Sociology with a specialization in Demography in 1986 from the University of Texas at Austin. She was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Michigan (UM) Institute of Gerontology and the School of Social Work focusing on the aging issues from 1987-89. She has been conducting a number of research projects focusing on women's health since 1990 at the UM School of Nursing (SON). Her research interests include community-based health promotion intervention and cross-cultural studies.

Dr. Yu was appointed to serve on the National Policy Council of the National Asian Women's Health Organization (1998-99). Locally, she is now the member of Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program Steering Committee of three Southeastern counties, Michigan. She currently serves as a member of Asian American/Pacific Islander National Advisory Council (2002-05) of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

	Scientific Advisory Committee
	Panel Co-Chairs
	Biosketches of Participants
	BHGI Alliance Organizations