Every 2 minutes a woman in the European Union is diagnosed with breast cancer and every 6 minutes a woman in the European Union dies from breast cancer.

EUROPA DONNA (ED) - The European Breast Cancer Coalition, is an independent non-profit organisation whose members are affiliated groups from 41 European countries. Christine Murphy Whyte, Chairwoman of EDI, is now the Vice-Chair of  ED, following a tradition of ED Board membership by Irish women.

The Coalition works to raise awareness of breast cancer and to mobilise the support of European women in pressing for improved breast cancer education, appropriate screening, optimal treatment and increased funding for research. Its Ten Goals are pursued by all member countries, each country prioritising those goals according to its needs.

ED represents the interests of European women regarding breast cancer to local and national authorities as well as to institutions of the EU. ED publishes information in the form of newsletters and leaflets, maintains a website, holds a pan-European conference every two years and is involved in the organisation of the European Breast Cancer Conferences which are also held every two years.

Advocacy Training

EUROPA DONNA believes in the power of the informed advocate and every year organises an advocacy training course in Milan, to which each member country may send two women.

The course covers various areas of importance to breast cancer advocates, including diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, epidemiology, the work of ED at European level, effective communication and public speaking skills, lobbying techniques and media training. Presentations are delivered by leading European experts.

Lobbying at the European Parliament and Commission

ED has lobbied extensively at the European Parliament and Commission and was instrumental in founding the European Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer. The European Parliament Resolution on Breast Cancer in the Enlarged European Union (October 2006) is a major milestone. It reinforces the demands of the Resolution of 2003 and calls on the Member States to ensure nationwide provision of specialist breast units in accordance with the EU guidelines by 2016. The Commission is to deliver a report on the progress every two years.

Short Guide to European Guidelines

The European Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis (4th edition 2006) are key to enabling ED to achieve its mission for the benefit of all women across Europe. The Guidelines set the standards for mammography screening, diagnosis and specialist breast units, and are a fundamental tool for ED advocates in member countries. In October 2007 ED published a Short Guide to the 4th edition of the Guidelines. This has now been translated into French, Spanish, Turkish and Swedish. To access translations, please go to www.europadonna.org

Research and Clinical Trials

ED has a close relationship with the main medical and scientific organisations in the field of breast cancer and is involved with them in major research projects, as well as in the organisation of the European Breast Cancer Conferences. To ensure that women have accurate information about clinical trials, ED has published a booklet, Clinical Trials and Breast Cancer.

For more information on EUROPA DONNA and to download publications mentioned above and others, go to the ED website at www.europadonna.org