Partnering to transform global cancer care
The International Cancer Expert Corps, or ICEC, is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 non-government organization. It was created by cancer and allied health experts who recognized through their own experience the great shortfalls in cancer care in lower-middle income countries and also in geographically underserved regions in upper-income countries such as the indigenous populations. ICEC has a dedicated corps of volunteers in the United States and premier cancer centers participating worldwide. ICEC addresses the shortfalls in capacity and capability of people to provide high-quality cancer care globally.
Think globally. Mentor Locally.
Through the exchange of ideas, analyzing opportunities and gaps, and carefully listening to those who have familiarity with the issues facing people living in places with the shortfall in cancer care, ICEC is a detailed working model of how people with expertise in cancer care from resource-rich countries serve as mentors and advisors for those within resource-poor settings to help establish effective quality cancer care programs. ICEC focuses on the expertise. Physical infrastructure and investment are the responsibility of the local community. From experience, much of the failure from local investment relates to insufficient expertise; therefore, capable expertise will enhance global capacity and local return-on-investment.
The ICEC model is the first comprehensive approach using a global partnership of cancer programs in resource-rich countries to provide long-term sustainable mentorship to professionals in facilities in low-middle income countries that will enable them to develop or upgrade their cancer care programs to international quality. It isn’t that there aren’t already efforts as a number of examples of “twinning” partnerships are in place between cancer centers in resource-rich countries and facilities in low- and middle-income and also between private practice groups and indigenous populations. ICEC aims to work with and build from these existing programs. By having a critical mass of expertise that is essentially “on-retainer” as part of a global cancer corps these smaller efforts will not depend on one or two people, as is now the case. We believe that by having a corps of experts that can respond to needs and opportunities as they arise, there will be a much more serious level of investment by local communities, governments, and industry as there will be a better chance of success and also a sizeable potential market for industry and new technology.
