Mexico 2025: Patient Advocacy Mentorship with FUTEJE
The Global Colon Cancer Association’s partnership with FUTEJE through the Patient Advocacy Mentorship continues to grow in 2025. This March, as a Special Advisor to GCCA, Zorana Maravic, CEO of Digestive Cancers Europe, traveled to Mexico to work with Francisco Freyria, FUTEJE’s General Director. Colorectal cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in Mexico, and the third most common cancer. The number of new cases and the number of deaths due to colorectal cancer are predicted to double by 2050, so patient advocacy in Mexico is critical to reduce the burden of this disease.
The emotional highlight of the trip was FUTEJE’s 4th Race Against Colorectal Cancer, an event that raised awareness and funding for colorectal cancer. Among the runners were several patients who are in active chemotherapy for their colorectal cancer, and a patient celebrating her last chemo treatment. The race hosted more than 1000 runners and raised $30,000 USD in support of FUTEJE.
During Zorana’s visit, FUTEJE launched the Patient and Primary Caregiver’s Guide for Colorectal Cancer. FUTEJE presented the guide to an audience of patients, carers, industry representatives, and friends of FUTEJE at a special event. The team detailed the guide’s development, and shared videos from carers and patients. The guide will be distributed in the main hospitals of Mexico City.
Zorana and Francisco attended a meeting at Hospital Juarez de Mexico, led by Dr. Scherezada Mejia Loza. Francisco presented about FUTEJE’s advocacy and screening activities, and Zorana presented on the landscape of colorectal cancer and CRC screening programs around the world. Several hospital physicians, including Dr. Erik Sosa and Dr. Jony Cerna Cardona, presented on topics including CRC epidemiology, the importance of FIT screening tests and colonoscopy for prevention and early diagnosis, and results of the hospital’s screening program.
At the Hospital General de Mexico, Dr. Gustavo Acosta, Dr. Jorge Leon, and Dr. Efrain Olguin expressed their gratitude for the work FUTEJE is doing, and their eagerness to collaborate further. All the clinicians are concerned about the increase in early onset colorectal cancer. Dr. Leon presented data showing that 25% of their CRC patients are below the age of 45.
An educational event for medical students was held at FES UNAM IZTACALA. Focusing on prevention, Dr. Luis Terrazas Valdez presented on important CRC research, including a protocol in which the tumors of patients screened through FUTEJE are studied and compared to tumors from other populations around the world. Dr. Jorge Luis Leon gave a comprehensive overview of the pathways of treatment for colorectal cancer patients at the General Hospital of Mexico, emphasized the problem of delayed diagnosis, and discussed the rise in early onset CRC. It was inspiring to witness the growing interest among young future healthcare professionals and researchers, as well as their commitment to advancing knowledge in digestive cancers.
Zorana and Francisco visited the Sociedad Mexicana de Oncologia (SMeO), meeting with Dr. Paula Cabrera, also the Deputy Director of Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia (INCan). They discussed collaboration between FUTEJE and SMeO on strengthening education for primary and secondary healthcare professionals on colorectal cancer.
Zorana and Francisco also had meetings with several pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, including Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb, MSD, and Hollister, who confirmed their support for FUTEJE and their commitment to making colorectal cancer a healthcare priority in Mexico.
- The team from Pfizer, an important ally of FUTEJE, including Cristina Recke, Jose Luis Paz, Dr. Francisco Olguin, Sandra Herrera, and Alain Reyes, expressed their belief that now is the time to move colorectal cancer higher in the policy agenda due to its status as the number one cancer killer in Mexico. They will be advocating for the development of CRC guidelines.
- Zorana and Francisco met with Oswaldo Bernal, Alonso Zepeda, and Dr. Miguel Sierra from Bristol Myers Squibb. Their focus is on gastric cancer, which is also a part of FUTEJE’s mission. They have recognized the work undertaken by FUTEJE and the importance of supporting them.
- America Gomez and Montserrat Gerzo from MSD Pharmaceuticals communicated their interest in working with FUTEJE and supporting their activities.
- They met with team members from the ostomy supply company Hollister, including Victor M. Vazquez Reynoso, Jose Miguel Minguer Rodriguez, and Norma Olvera Olguin, to review the burden of ostomy bags on patients in Mexico. Their estimate is that there are more than 180,000 patients living with ostomies, but less than half can afford the monthly cost of supplies, about $100USD. The company is interested in supporting FUTEJE in their activities, which include providing and subsidizing ostomy supplies.
Reflecting on the visit, Zorana Maravic shared, "It has been an honor to work alongside FUTEJE. Their tireless efforts and passionate commitment are truly inspiring. I am hopeful that, through continued collaboration, we can make a real difference in improving early detection rates and outcomes for CRC patients in Mexico."
Francisco Freyria added, "Our relationship and active participation with international organizations such as GCCA and DiCE has taken us to another level, has opened opportunities and has linked us with new organizations, allowing us to learn what is being done in other countries and regions and at the same time to open spaces to take our programs and models of care beyond our borders. Every day brings a new opportunity to grow and learn from the very best.”