Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1409324
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 SEPTEMBER 2021 OPINION Fighting paediatric cancer PAEDIATRIC Cancer Awareness Month presents us with an opportunity to reflect on where we are at in our fight against cancer, noting the stellar work done to overcome challenges, while looking ahead at the tech- nological advances which are expected to materialise in this medical field. The facts and numbers speak for them- selves: cancer affects around one in every 320 children under the age of 19, globally. Every three minutes, somewhere in the world, a child succumbs to this terrible illness. In fact, on a European level, cancer is the most prev- alent cause of death in children over one year of age. In order to progress in this sector and save as much young lives as possible around the world, more awareness on this subject is certainly needed, especially regarding the various cancer variants which affect both children and adults, the type of cancer diag- nosed, the rate of spread within the patient's body, and the most appropriate treatment method. Unfortunately, around 80% of paediat- ric cancer cases would have already spread throughout the body, by the time they are di- agnosed. On the other hand, when it comes to cancer in adult patients, this rate tumbles down to 20%. This must lead us to take more concrete and effective action to protect our children from this deadly illness. One of the largest challenges relates to se- curing the necessary funding for more re- search and innovation conducted by medical experts, in search of new cures, therapies, treatments and medicines to fight the vari- ous forms of cancer affecting children. At the European level, we have the reality of having only between 30% and 50% of medicines made available to children. This is a direct consequence of the lack of adequate invest- ment in research and innovation as well as a weak infrastructural setup For a long time, insufficient scientific knowledge and a shortage of commercial interest from pharmaceutical companies did not aid the situation, leading to relatively slow-moving progress in this area. In light of this, as part of my work in the Beating Can- cer Committee of the European Parliament, I've been focusing and advocating on incen- tivising investment in this field, in order to stimulate research and innovation for the wellbeing of our children. Despite the many difficulties faced, we are slowly but surely applying more pressure for a pan-European approach to combat cancer. COVID-19 presented a silver lining, with the greater realisation that we can achieve much more in the health sector by working together as a European Union. This is what led the European Commission to announce a holistic plan to battle and overcome cancer in Europe. One of the many measures announced, is an initiative whereby young cancer pa- tients are given more psychological support, thanks to funding derived from the 'Horizon Europe Cancer Mission' – which will also help towards raising awareness on cancer progression in paediatric patients, whilst also aiding to transform the treatment methods offered, for a better prognosis, as well as psy- chological support to survivors. Our children are extremely dear to us, and all of us would do whatever it takes to en- sure they get to live their best life possible and achieve whatever they aspire for; which is why I will never stop calling for paediatric cancer to receive the recognition and aware- ness it deserves at a European level. This month, let's work together to raise awareness on this critical topic. We must ensure all paediatric cancer patients have access to the best medical care possible, and give them all the tools possible to win over the illness. …in a country where (let's face it) 'scandals' have become a dime-a-dozen lately (so much so that you can now even pick them up as souvenirs from the Tomb of Christ in Jerusalem…); …and where, in any case, ab- solutely anyone at all can so very easily be targeted by con- cocted allegations, at any given moment (especially seeing as the definition of 'scandal' seems to forever keep changing: I seem to remember a time, for instance, when it wasn't quite so 'scandalous' to buy a luxury yacht from a formerly respecta- ble, multimillionaire tycoon…) … but you can probably al- ready see where all this is head- ed. This particular 'WarGame' our two political parties seem to enjoy so much – this nucle- ar stand-off, consisting of an endlessly repeated threat: "You have a scandal about me? Well, guess what? I have one about you, too!"… it can't possibly work as a deterrent, you know. And it can't lead to any form of 'victory', either. In fact, all it ever can really achieve – and all it has ever achieved in the past, for that matter – is just a grad- ual intensification of hostilities; an ever-growing accumulation of hurtful attacks, that can on- ly ever elicit equally hurtful reprisals… until DEF-CON 1 becomes DEF-CON 2; then 3; then 4, then 5… and far beyond that limit, too… Because that's another differ- ence, right there. Unlike a real nuclear war, there isn't even that small crumb of comfort – such that it is – that the actual war itself (if not its consequenc- es for unlucky survivors) would all be over, quite literally, 'in a flash'… No, there is simply no end in sight at all, to this particu- lar media war… no bottom, to this pit of filth and stench into which we are so rapidly (and, it must be said, so willingly) al- lowing ourselves to sink… Unless, that is, both sides fi- nally come round to doing what all the world's nuclear powers have so far manifestly failed to do: and reach a mutual 'Nucle- ar Disarmament' agreement, of the kind that would end years (if not decades) of incessant, relentless, and increasingly in- vasive media warfare... And… come on. That's not such a bad outcome for the two parties themselves, either, is it now? After all, it's not exactly as though they can both realisti- cally afford to keep this up for very much longer… when they can't even settle a measly E5 million in unpaid tax arrears… So tell you what: how about we all choose another strategy instead… and try and win this game by… erm… not actually playing at all? And how about, say, we all 'play a nice game of chess' instead? You know, just a thought… Cyrus Engerer is a Labour MEP (S&D) Cyrus Engerer