ISRAEL21c has been chosen by the American Cancer Society to represent Israel at its first ACS Global Journalist Fellowship in New York City.
Viva Sarah Press, associate editor at ISRAEL21c is one of 44 journalists and 78 cancer and tobacco control advocates, representing all the world regions, to be invited to take part in this unique workshop from June 18-22. Press will be the only journalist from Israel attending.
The ACS initiated the fellowship in order to generate awareness of the increasing burden of cancer around the world, in an effort to ensure that cancer is adequately included in the global health and UN agenda.
The journalist fellows will attend UN meetings, and meet with world leading experts about the latest developments in cancer and tobacco control.
Cancer is today a leading cause of mortality worldwide. In 2007, it accounted for 7.9 million deaths, around 13 percent of all deaths, according to figures from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Despite the fact that about 30 percent of all cancer deaths can be prevented, the mortality rate is rising. Until now heart disease was the number one killer worldwide, but experts suggest cancer deaths will soon overtake this figure. By 2030, cancer will cause an estimated 12 million deaths a year worldwide, according to WHO.
Israel is one of the leading players in cancer research worldwide, and is recognized internationally for its major contributions to the field. Over the last 10 years ISRAEL21c has reported extensively on the many significant breakthroughs emerging from the country.
“I am honored to be chosen to take part in this important conference,” said Press, who served as a senior news editor at IBA News, Israel’s only English-language news broadcast, for seven years before joining ISRAEL21c in January. “Cancer is a major cause of death worldwide, and it’s vital that we continue to raise awareness about this deadly disease.”