February Member Meeting
This month, we were privileged to host Dr. Helen Winter, whose work continues to advance important conversations. Having met through our shared work in the colorectal cancer space and having collaborated across South Africa and the United Kingdom, this session felt both professional and personal. It was another example of how global partnerships strengthen local impact.
One of the most exciting areas discussed was innovation in cancer vaccines. While vaccines have long been associated with preventing infectious diseases, the oncology field is rapidly evolving. Research around personalised cancer vaccines is opening new possibilities in how we approach treatment and recurrence prevention.
Although many of these approaches are still in clinical development, the future of oncology is increasingly personalised and immune-driven. For patient advocacy organisations like ours, understanding these developments is critical. Innovation must not only happen in laboratories, but it must also reach communities equitably.
Perhaps even more grounding and immediately actionable was the discussion around exercise. Evidence from the CHALLENGE study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, continues to show that structured physical activity plays a significant role in improving recovery after colorectal cancer treatment and lowering the risk of recurrence.
For many of the communities we serve, this is empowering news. While access to advanced immunotherapies may vary globally, movement is something we can integrate into patient education now, with appropriate medical guidance.
What made this session particularly meaningful was the reminder that innovation is not confined to one country. Collaboration across borders allows us to share research, translate knowledge, and adapt insights to our local realities.
We remain committed to ensuring that, as innovation advances, no patient is left behind.
Our next meeting is on March 18th at 08:00 UTC. We hope you’ll join us live if you're located in Africa, Asia, or Europe. For our members in the Americas, the recording will be available by the end of that week.
To subscribe to the calendar of future meetings or to watch the recordings of past meetings, visit the GCCA Member Portal. The password is available in our latest member newsletter, or you can email jenn@globalcca.org for access.
Interested in becoming a member? Learn more and apply now.