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 second set of interviews 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 Kathy Oliver (Chair and Co-Director, International Brain Tumour Alliance) discuss the recent updates from the International Brain Tumour Alliance and the challenges that arose for cancer patients due to the conflict in Ukraine.

Kathy continues the discussion by looking towards the future of health systems in Ukraine and the support systems in place for healthcare professionals and Ukrainian cancer patients.

You can read more about the Special Network here and here.