Impacting Global Health Through Radiotherapy

An Insight Series Webinar

Presently, there exists a sizable gap in available resources to meet the global demand for radiotherapy, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). For example, dozens of countries worldwide have NO access to radiotherapy. This webinar explores the current status of medical physics and radiation therapy worldwide and explore a partnership with Radiating Hope and the Kathmandu Cancer Center Hospital. Our speakers offer information to increase awareness of current challenges and opportunities for outreach in support of the global rapid growth in the incidence of cancer and heart disease and the corresponding demand for additional medical physicists, especially in LMICs – a demand that is in need of significant education and training support.

This session addresses how medical physicists and radiation oncologists can best be involved in providing support, collaboration, and partnerships at the global level. The pros and cons of various approaches are addressed, and current and future collaborations are discussed, along with recommendations for best approaches for future efforts.

Radiating Hope identifies and secures available radiation machines, transports them to developing countries in need, and trains staff on how to use these life-saving machines. They have facilitated successful equipment donations to a host of developing countries, including Panama, Senegal, Ethiopia, Nepal, Guatemala, Tanzania and Honduras. To date, Radiating Hope has delivered 24 radiation machines, both new and donated, all over the world.