Friday 23 May 2025 | 12:45-13:45

Format: Workshop

Stream: n/a

Content filters: Co-presented with patients, service users or carers

Cancer patients in conflict zones face relentless challenges, their suffering magnified by the breakdown of healthcare systems, the disruption of medical supplies, and the absence of essential treatment. In these dire circumstances, it is not enough to acknowledge their struggle—we must recognize their right to actively and formally contribute as leading experts in shaping the response to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health. Their lived experience is not just a perspective; it is a critical asset in driving informed, effective, and compassionate decision-making.

For meaningful and lasting change, individuals with lived experience must be fully and equitably integrated at every stage of health policy, program, service, and research development. Their participation in co-design, co-implementation, and co-evaluation ensures that responses are not only evidence-based but also deeply human-centered, grounded in the realities of those most affected.

True equity demands diverse and representative inclusion across all age groups, genders, and backgrounds. Only by amplifying these voices and embedding their insights into systemic change can we build a healthcare response that is just, inclusive, and truly transformative.

In conflict settings, two critical groups bear the heaviest burden:

• Patients with NCDs and survivors – Deprived of life-saving treatments, they struggle to navigate a collapsing healthcare system, where access to care is often a matter of survival


• Patient rights advocates – The individuals and organizations tirelessly fighting for patients’ rights, often working in isolation, without the necessary support or recognition. But who will advocate for the advocates?

The true crisis lies in the global failure to establish and implement alternative emergency plans. Despite continuous international discourse on preparedness and resilience, conflict consistently exposes a glaring gap: the world remains catastrophically unprepared. Billions are spent on conferences, workshops, and policy discussions, yet when emergencies unfold, we find ourselves trapped in a vicious cycle—scrambling for solutions while the health system collapses.

This repeated failure is unacceptable. Without concrete, immediate action, cancer patients, those with NCDs, and the advocates fighting for them will continue to be abandoned. The time for rhetoric has passed—what is needed now is a fundamental shift toward proactive, resilient, and patient-centered solutions that ensure no one is left behind, no matter the crisis.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Comprehend the critical challenges faced by cancer patients in conflict zones – participants will explore the major obstacles confronting cancer patients and individuals with NCDs, including treatment disruptions, limited healthcare access, and the psychological toll of conflict


• Acknowledge the power of lived experience in shaping healthcare responses – participants will understand the vital role of individuals with lived experience in influencing policy, program development, and advocacy, ensuring more inclusive, effective, and compassionate healthcare solutions


• Analyse systemic gaps and champion resilient emergency preparedness – participants will evaluate shortcomings in emergency response frameworks and advocate for sustainable, proactive, and patient-centered healthcare systems in crisis settings

Eman Shannan Aid and Hope Program for Cancer Patients Care (AHP); Gaza