2022: In Review
- NOMAN is an Island
- Dec 21, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 22, 2022
In 2022, your dedication to ending preventable cancers led to the achievement of significant milestones.
The progress made in 2022 built upon the solid foundation of previous years by creating new resources and support for community members, forming new stakeholder coalitions in HPV communities, and involving more people in cancer prevention efforts. Specific highlights include seeding the first-ever country-by-country report on HPV prevention in Europe, launching and co-chairing the new HPV Coalition in the UK alongside Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, and beginning work on pilot projects in Romania and Bulgaria to develop multi-organisation advocacy campaigns as part of the 'Action Now on HPV' project to end HPV cancers.
We would like to express our gratitude and showcase the accomplishments of 2022 in our mission to end 5% of all cancer, which we are able to achieve thanks to your invaluable support.
Eliminating HPV cancers in Europe
Three years ago we partnered with the European Cancer Organisation to work in coalition to eliminate HPV cancers in the WHO European Region through the HPV Action Network. 2022 has been yet another year in which the consortium has taken significant steps towards this goal.
In 2022 we:
Published an umbrella review of interventions used to improve HPV vaccine uptake in children, adolescents and young adults. The results were also published in a paper in the journal STI.
Started work on pilot projects in Romania and Bulgaria to develop multi-organisation advocacy campaigns as part of the Action Now on HPV project.
Commissioned ‘HPV Changemakers’ to highlight the personal stories of individuals who have successfully made the case for change in the field of HPV cancer elimination.
Successfully applied for EU4Health funding for the two-year PROTECT-EUROPE project which will focus on increasing HPV vaccination uptake in EU member states.
Responded to the WHO Europe consultation on its Roadmap for the elimination of cervical cancer and made the case for wider action in a presentation to the WHO Europe Regional Committee meeting in
In 2023 we will build on the momentum created by Europe's Beating Cancer Plan and the WHO's Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy.
Provided funds to seed the first-ever report on HPV Prevention in Europe
‘Putting HPV on the Map: The State of HPV Prevention Programmes in the WHO European Region’, published during European Immunisation Week, examines the state of HPV prevention across WHO Europe.
Supported by a grant from NOMAN is an Island, European Cancer Organisation’s Action Now on HPV project aims to support the implementation of effective vaccination and screening by identifying current policy, practice, implementation, and gaps in the delivery of HPV vaccination programmes and screening across WHO Europe.
This data collection and analysis will in turn inform our strategy to implement change in the region; identifying the countries in which we can support and encourage HPV advocacy, and in turn build towards the elimination of HPV related diseases.
Launched and co-chaired the new HPV Coalition in the United Kingdom.
The HPV Coalition is an expert advisory group of leading patient groups, professional groups, clinicians, and expert individuals who have come together to inform and advance the UK’s journey towards elimination of HPV-related cancers. The United Kingdom has yet to take the step of other countries such as Canada and Australia in developing an action plan for the elimination of HPV cancers.
We will advocate for action in all four nations across the UK to enhance access to preventative interventions, specifically by pushing the United Kingdom as a whole to set a new global benchmark of 95% gender neutral HPV vaccination coverage rates and 90%+ cervical screening rates. Most importantly, the goal is for these efforts to end the suffering of thousands of people from diseases caused by a preventable virus.
An Advance for Worldwide HPV Cancer Elimination at the World Health Organisation
In 2022, WHO advised for the first time that boys should also be prioritised for vaccination against HPV. For a decade, NOMAN has advocated for gender neutral HPV vaccination policy changes world-wide. During this time, while WHO discouraged vaccination of boys, NOMAN advocated to WHO advisors that boys should be provided with the same access as girls. NOMAN secured jabs for the boys in the USA and UK in addition to commitments in the EU Beating Cancer Plan.
Whilst work remains to make this advice into a reality, the change of stance from WHO is a testament to NOMAN and our allies’ efforts, and more importantly is a step towards a future free from HPV cancers.
Riding to End HPV cancers
Our NOMEN continue to throw themselves against all the challenges that two wheels can provide. NOMAN athletes took on central London and its surroundings in RideLondon. In tandem with our partner the Haute Route, our riders tackled some of the continent’s most infamous climbs including Alpe D’Huez, and some less notorious but equally imperious, in Davos-Klosters. We are grateful to Santini for their support of our increasingly popular END HPV socks which continue to light up the climbs across Europe.
As NOMAN celebrates a decade of progress to end HPV cancers in 2023, and our athletic calendar promises to be its biggest yet with the 10th anniversary of our Barcelona - Ibiza: Row to End HPV and an expanded Haute Route calendar.
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