Our team collaborates to increase care locally and enhance cancer care globally
Photo: Harsha Vadlamani/Two Worlds Cancer
Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration is harnessing Canadian and International health care knowledge and leadership to assist healthcare professionals in less resourced countries in palliative care, end-of-life care and cancer control strategies. Together our volunteers and partners are collaborating to overcome barriers such as lack of training, diagnostic services and treatment infrastructure.
Two Worlds Cancer has embraced the latest communications technologies to help further palliative care training, collaboration and mentorship in South and Southeast Asia. The Project ECHO Pediatric Palliative Care Program – an innovative, bi-weekly online-education program – delivers palliative care training via video conferencing to healthcare providers in five countries in the region.
Together we are collaborating
to overcome barriers
Photo: Chuck Russell/Two Worlds Cancer
Every year 5.7 million children die from serious health-related suffering globally. More than 98% of these children live in lesser-resourced countries. More than 70% of global cancers occur in these countries. Hospitals for children, access to life saving therapies, and palliative and end-of-life care are often extremely limited.
Sunflower Children’s Network
Every year 5.7 million children die from serious health-related suffering globally
The Sunflower Children’s Network focuses on improving care for children with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other serious illnesses. In South and Southeast Asia, there have been few healthcare professionals trained in children’s palliative care. The Sunflower Children’s Network addresses this gap through education and mentorship – providing doctors, nurses and counsellors with opportunities to learn and connect with regional and international experts. It allows healthcare professionals to gain valuable knowledge and skills which they can use to improve the care they provide for children with serious or chronic illnesses.
70 % More than 70% of global cancers occur in lesser-resourced countries.
Children’s palliative
care fellowships
In collaboration with our partners, the Sunflower Children’s Network offers specialized fellowships. These programs are designed to train pediatric doctors to become leaders in children’s palliative medicine and to champion children’s palliative care. The fellowships provide training in the foundations of palliative medicine – medical sciences, research activities, as well as leadership, advocacy and teaching.
Photo: Chuck Russell/Two Worlds Cancer
Virtual Education – Project ECHO
Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration provides online training and mentorship programs in adult and children’s palliative care through the Project ECHO model of online education.
Our free, online training
is reaching hundreds of
healthcare providers
The Project ECHO™ model – Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes – was developed at the University of New Mexico, the model is a collaborative approach to medical education and care that helps healthcare providers across the globe provide the best patient care.
In January 2021, our virtual education expanded to encompass healthcare providers throughout South and Southeast Asia. Free, online training is reaching hundreds of healthcare providers – doctors, nurses, pharmacists, counsellors, and social workers in five countries. Volunteer faculty from locally-based healthcare organizations, Two Worlds Cancer, the Hyderabad Centre for Palliative Care, and international organizations facilitate the courses.
Project ECHO Education
3182PARTICIPANTS
55ORGANIZATIONS
50FACULTY
3YEARS
The intent of these virtual programs is to empower participants caring for those with serious illnesses with palliative care practices appropriate to their settings. Serious illnesses include cancer and other chronic conditions including COVID-19.
Photo: Harsha Vadlamani/Two Worlds Cancer
Fellowships
In collaboration with our partners, Two Worlds Cancer offers specialized fellowships. These programs are designed to train doctors to become leaders in palliative medicine and to become community champions for palliative care.
In 2010, Two Worlds Cancer funded the first Pediatric Palliative Care Fellowship in India
The fellowships provide training in the foundations of palliative medicine – medical sciences, research activities, as well as leadership, advocacy and teaching.
The Sunflower Children’s Network offers specialized fellowships in children’s palliative medicine from five centres – two in India, and one in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines.
Since 2010, 10 physicians have received support to complete their specialty training in children’s palliative medicine at the Hyderabad Centre for Palliative Care. The fellowship has grown to include doctors from across South and Southeast Asia. The Sunflower Children’s Network has expanded with support from international experts in specialty training, including the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health (UK).
Adult Palliative Care Fellowships are also offered through our partners at the Hyderabad Centre for Palliative Care.
Photo: Chuck Russell/Two Worlds: Cancer Collaboration
Rural Palliative Care
Rural populations face significant barriers to accessing health care because of their remote locations and the lack of medical clinics or hospitals nearby.
Many facing these circumstances exhaust their financial savings paying for treatment while being unable to bring in any income. For those needing palliative care for pain and symptom relief, or at end-of-life, this can mean intolerable pain and suffering.
Those needing care often travel large distances and face costly medical expenses—if they can even access care
Photo: Chuck Russell/Two Worlds Cancer
Cancer Prevention, Early Detection & Screening
Two Worlds Cancer collaborates with healthcare organizations and governments in South and Southeast Asia to develop and support the development and implementation of healthcare programs and strategies including screening that will help ‘Close the Circle’.
An estimated 40% of cancer cases can be prevented through healthy living and policies that protect and promote health
Oral cancer is one of the top three occurring cancers in India with over 120,000 cases reported annually. Two Worlds Cancer along with our partners in India, conducted a 112-participant feasibility research study in early detection and treatment of oral cavity cancer in Telangana in 2017 – supported by the UBC School of Dentistry, Vancouver, Hyderabad Centre for Palliative Care, and the Government Dental College, Panineeya Dental College, and the Pain Relief Palliative Care Society in Hyderabad.
Based on the success of the feasibility study a 1000-participant study was initiated in 2019. This research work is supported through a grant from the Rix Family Foundation.
The success of this community-based, collaborative research model for screening is applicable to screening for cervical and breast cancers also.