How Did We Start
In June 2008 the Scottish Cancer Foundation invited international experts and observers from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) panel who reviewed the Evidence on Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Diet to take part in a workshop. This meeting, which was addressed by The Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, set the scene for why Scotland needs to take cancer prevention seriously and consider promising (and challenging) routes for achieving changes in diet and physical activity.
This workshop was followed by a group meeting in March, 2009 to progress ideas further. At this meeting agreement was reached to:
- Survey Scottish cancer agencies to assess what they were doing re prevention
- Organise a meeting on Evidence into Action for autumn 2009
- Assuming interest from this meeting, to formalise a Scottish Cancer Prevention Network
Evidence into Action Meeting
In August, 2009 a second meeting hosted by the Scottish Cancer Foundation and Scottish Government on Enhancing Cancer Prevention in Scotland took place. At this event the survey of cancer prevention action by cancer agencies reported and examples of how health professionals could assist the prevention agenda were explored. Workshops to gauge participants’ areas of interest/concern were also held.
Scottish Cancer Prevention Network
Following the Evidence into Action meeting email communications resulted in the agreement for a formalisation of a network with three main linked themes:
- Awareness raising, information and misinformation
- Advocacy for action on prevention
- Health inequalities in cancer prevention – widening perspectives