UK Special Recognition Award presented to lung cancer patient advocate, author and campaigner Sophie Sabbage
On Friday 7th June, Mike Grundy, deputy chief executive of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, on behalf of the Foundation and the two other UK GLCC member organisations, the British Lung Foundation and the National Forum for Lung Cancer Nurses, presented Sophie Sabbage with the UK Special Recognition Award for Excellence in Journalism.
In October 2014, Sophie, who has worked in the field of human development for 30 years, was diagnosed with late-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with metastases in her brain and spine.
She began publishing an online blog about her experience, and wrote a book, ‘The Cancer Whisperer’. Originally self-published in 2015 in the UK, it has gone on to become a Sunday Times best-seller. Perhaps its sub-title, ‘Finding courage, direction and the unlikely gifts of cancer,’ says all that is needed about her view of life.
The award was in recognition of her courageous and persistent support and advice for those affected by cancer, and in particular, lung cancer, as well as her many contributions and appearances in mainstream media, bringing much-needed attention to the disease and the lives it affects. She has recently published her second book, ‘Lifeshocks and How to Love Them’.
Sophie recently gave a TEDx talk, entitled ‘How Grief Can Help Us Win When We Lose’. You can see that here.
If you’d like to learn more about Sophie and her work, visit her website here.
Footnote: Sophie Sabbage died on 1st October 2021.
A devoted wife and mother, she gave of herself unstintingly to help and support others facing major life challenges. She was a voice for all, and her work endures.
Czech Republic Member Onkomaják presents two awards
The non-profit organisation ONKOMAJÁK, z.s. gave the 2019 award for Excellence in Lung Cancer Journalism to Mgr. Zdeňka Smejkalová, PhDr. et PhDr. and to Mgr. Jitka Slaná Reissmannová, Ph. D.
Mgr. Zdeňka Smejkalová, PhDr. et PhDr. – She is a recent graduate of the Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, in Health Education and Mathematics. Throughout her studies she was actively involved in creating teaching materials on the subject of health education for teachers, with particular focus on the topic of cancer prevention.
The main author of the publication ”My se raka nebojíme” (”We are not afraid of cancer, from prevention to health”), she’s currently completing the second part of the book ”Rozhodni se! Aneb životním stylem ke zdraví” (”Decide! from lifestyle to health”) which deals with the prevention of chronic non-infectious diseases.
PhDr. Mgr. Jitka Slaná Reissmannová, Ph.D. is a professional assistant at the Department of Physical Education and Health Education at the Faculty of Education, Masaryk University in Brno.
She specializes in health education issues at the second stage of primary schools, especially in the area of prevention of chronic noninfectious diseases (oncological diseases) and old age syndrome, reproductive health and first aid.
The authors were presented with the GLCC award for their work on the methodological material for teaching about cancer prevention ”We are not afraid of cancer, from prevention to health”.
This material is focused on cancer prevention and is intended for teachers of the second level of primary schools. The main aim of the material is to acquaint pupils with primary and secondary prevention of cancer and to increase their health literacy in this area.
We greatly appreciate the work of the authors with the intention of enlightening the general public since childhood.
