The invasion by Russia of Ukraine on the 24th February 2022 has created a massive humanitarian crisis for Ukraine and Europe generating huge challenges for cancer and palliative care. As of the 1st May some 12-13 million Ukrainian citizens were still trapped in active conflict zones, nearly 8 million had become internally displaced, mostly to the West, and nearly 6 million had left to become refugees.

In support of the WHO Ukraine Cancer Emergency Response and the ECO-ASCO Special Network: Impact of the War in Ukraine on Cancer ecancer has commissioned a special set of interviews with some of the key actors in the cancer humanitarian response both within and outside Ukraine.

This first set of interviews, conducted some 2 months into the conflict, serve both as sources of on-the-ground experience and as living witness and testament to the extraordinary work of doctors, patient organisations, professional groups and UN agencies such as WHO in their efforts to adapt to the many challenges.
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Prof Richard Sullivan (Kings College London, London, UK) and Anna Uzlova (Inspiration Family, Kyiv, Ukraine) discuss the impact of the war in Ukraine on cancer.

Anna begins by talking about her life prior to the war and what led her to co-founding Inspiration Family, a charity to help cancer patients and survivors in Ukraine.

She then goes on to talk about the challenges that the foundation have faced since the 24th of February and how they have helped adults with cancer during this devastating time.

Prof Sullivan concludes by asking Anna, from her perspective, what she believes will be the most critical needs for Ukrainian cancer patients over the next few months.

You can read more about the Special Network here and here