UICC Solidarity Fund for Ukraine opens call for grants to qualifying organisations

The UICC Solidarity Fund for Ukraine will support projects and programmes that help address the impact of the conflict on Ukrainian cancer patients and their families now and in the immediate future.

The donations received will be pooled and distributed to recipients on application, on the advice and guidance of an Advisory Board, and through a selection streamlined process established by UICC to ensure the legitimacy of the applying organisation.

Funds will be made available initially for the following types of emergency support (but not limited to this list):

• Help to cover the operational costs of cancer organisations based in Ukraine to support their continued functioning at this time.
• Fund the acquisition of urgently required medicines and equipment for Ukrainian cancer patients.
• Contribute towards the costs of transporting Ukrainian cancer patients and their families. 
• Contribute towards the costs of flying in expertise into Ukraine or surrounding regions.
• Support health workers in Ukraine or surrounding regions who are providing treatment and care to Ukrainian cancer patients.

As of 11 April, the Solidarity Fund has received pledges of just over USD 1 million in donations, thanks to generous contributions from the Dutch Cancer Society, who initiated the project, the Danish Cancer Society, the Swiss Cancer League through its national solidarity campaign, the Norwegian Cancer Society, the Cancer Society of Finland, the Icelandic Cancer Society, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European Network of Gynaecological Oncological Trial Groups (ENGOT), the Nordic Society of Gynaecological Oncology (NSGO-CTU), the Swedish Cancer Society, the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) and Kom op tegen (Stand up to Cancer) in Belgium, the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS) and Barncancerfonden (Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation). The Fund continues to welcome donations and is also open to contributions from organisations that are not UICC members. 

Further demonstrating the unity and spirit of the cancer community globally, organisations across Europe, such as Asociatia MagiCAMP, Fundación Aladina and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, have been coordinating the transport of cancer patients in Ukraine to centres where they can pursue treatment and receive care. 

The grants are capped at USD 20,000 per application but organisations may submit more than one application for different goals, as relevant to their needs (e.g. one application for medicines, another for transferring patients).

The Fund is operated by UICC, with an Advisory Board acting as a governance body to oversee the approach adopted to distribute funds and to agree to whom the funds should be made available. The Advisory Board will consist of UICC’s President and its CEO, as well as a number of select experts in cancer control in the region of Ukraine and senior leadership of relevant NGOs (see below).

UICC has several members in Ukraine and the surrounding countries, as well as connections with many other cancer organisations and cancer treatment centres in the region through its extensive membership and links with professional bodies. 

The Solidarity Fund does not have a definite term but will come to a natural closure when all funds have been disbursed and no further donations are anticipated. 

UICC does not intend to keep any funds or charge overhead to receive, manage and disburse funds.

For more information and to submit an application, email: fellows@uicc.org

UICC Solidarity Fund Advisory Board and Terms of Reference

The Advisory board who will govern the Fund is made up of the following members:

1. Anil D’Cruz, India - UICC President
2. Cary Adams, Switzerland - UICC CEO
3. Ulrika Årehed Kågström, Sweden - UICC Treasurer 
4. Jeff Dunn, Australia - UICC President-Elect
5. Gilberto Lopes, United States – UICC Board Member and Member of Steering committee of ECO-ASCO Special Network: Impact of the War in Ukraine on Cancer
6. Danielle Lee Rodin, Canada – UICC Board Member
7. Tezer Kutluk, Turkey – UICC Past President
8. Jacek Jassem, Poland - ESMO Board Member
9. Gevorg Tamamyan, Armenia - Institute of Cancer and Crisis