EUROPA DONNA - The European Breast Cancer Coalition
EUROPA DONNA – The European Breast Cancer Coalition (ED) is an independent, non-profit organisation whose members are affiliated groups from countries throughout Europe. Europa Donna works to raise public awareness of breast cancer and to mobilise the support of European women in pressing for improved breast cancer education, appropriate screening, optimal treatment and care and increased funding for research.
Member countries currently number 47, twenty-seven of which are in the European Union. ED ensures that advocates are provided with up-to-date, accurate, evidence-based information and training through our education and information programmes listed below. We have more than 30 years of experience in successfully advocating for European policies, legislation and guidelines to guarantee best practice in breast cancer services for women throughout Europe. We also advocate for high level research to improve breast cancer treatment and outcomes for patients, e.g. working on enhancing patient engagement and involvement in projects, to ensure patient centricity in research is not only a tick in the box.
Role
EUROPA DONNA – The European Breast Cancer Coalition, is a task leader of Work Package 4: optimizing patient co-creation, capturing treatment burden, and empowering patients toward self-management. ED’s work in this project includes leading the development of a digital training course for patients and stakeholders and defining patient journeys through qualitative methods.
Members
Zambon Marzia
Marzia Zambon, Executive Director of EUROPA DONNA – The European Breast Cancer Coalition since February 2021, is responsible for all Europa Donna advocacy initiatives in the areas of information, education and lobbying, and coordinates all Europa Donna coalition training events and conferences. Marzia is very engaged in developing Europa Donna member organizations at the national level, and is encouraging and implementing networking, coordinating cluster programs and fostering true coalition unity.
She cooperates with ED’s international partners and is actively engaged in EU policy initiatives. Marzia advocates at meetings and information sessions at the European Parliament to ensure breast cancer remains high on EU policy makers’ agenda. She represents Europa Donna on the Board of the EBC Council which organises the biennial European Breast Cancer Conferences (EBCC) with EORTC and EUSOMA.
Marzia represents Europa Donna on a number of international working groups and committees, such as the BIG scientific committee and the OECD Working Group on Health Care Quality and Outcomes. Marzia also serves on the Quality Assurance Development Group of the European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer (ECIBC).
Marzia leads Europa Donna in many joint projects with other European patient organisations and medical societies; she manages ED’s involvement in international research projects (H2020, HEU and IMI). In the Path for Young trial, Marzia directs Europa Donna’s role in the Patient’s Perspective Work Package, focusing on developing a digital training course for patients and stakeholders as well as defining patient journeys through qualitative means.
Saracino Teresa
Teresa Saracino is Research and Liaison Officer at the Europa Donna Coalition head office, where she oversees EU-funded research projects and clinical trials, ensuring the comprehensive representation of breast cancer patient communities at all stages. In the Path-for-Young trial, she liaises with members of the Patient’s Perspective Work Package, facilitating efficient workflows and ensuring the successful execution of tasks and deliverables. Beyond research, at Europa Donna she plays a key role in strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening Europa Donna’s advocacy efforts across its 47 member countries. Prior to joining Europa Donna, Teresa coordinated international projects in the Food & Beverage and Education sectors, gaining extensive experience in cross-sector project management, stakeholder engagement and strategic planning.