Vision Zero Cancer brings together actors to improve care

With national cancer care programs, standardized care processes and accessibility initiatives, cancer control in Sweden has come a long way in recent years. Now the focus will be on research and innovation. Among other things, through Vision Zero Cancer.

Professor Dr. Hans Hägglund

Vision Zero Cancer should be a vision-driven innovation milieu. But what does that mean? Professor Dr. Hans Hägglund, National Cancer Coordinator and chairman of Vision Zero Cancer, says:
– Vision Zero Cancer should be platform for integrating research and innovation into healthcare. We want to move from today's isolated initiatives to greater cooperation, all actors driven by the same vision – to turn cancer into a curable or chronic disease. Together we can create even greater benefit for patients and society.

We want to move from today's isolated initiatives to greater cooperation, all actors driven by the same vision – to turn cancer into a curable or chronic disease.

Hans Hägglund describes Vision Zero Cancer as a catalyst, where patient, care, academia, industry, and politics come closer together. The innovation milieu wants to sharpen collaboration, not create a parallel system.

– For example, we can bring together projects that are not synchronized, focus on the issue, or fund good ideas and solutions that have not been tested or discussed before.

While it is about getting closer together, Hans looks far ahead. Nationally and internationally. One of Vision Zero Cancer's goals is that Sweden will become a world leader in prevention, early detection, diagnostics, treatment, and organization for person-centered cancer management. Just as it is about medicines, gene therapy or better diagnostics, it can be about new work processes, registers, and ways of analyzing data. He talks about a system transformation, daring to challenge the existing one.
– Technological development has been rapid. We need to evaluate and reconsider whether the organisational systems that exist are up to date today.

A slightly shorter view ahead is Vision Zero Cancer's own organization.  Cancer is a tough issue, and it is important to keep up the energy.
– That we keep the passion for system transformation and continue to be engaged. But also to make sure that interest in us does not cool down. We want more actors to join the milieu, and that we get enough funding to continue to innovate care.

It is an issue that should come early – what goals the patient has with life. So that it becomes a meaningful life after a tough treatment.

That no one should get sick with cancer is not so likely. But that no one should have to die of cancer, Hans Hägglund thinks it is attainable. However, this makes one issue even more apparent. To what life do we save the patients?
– The focus has been on treating the patient in the best way and then following up that the patient does not return. Now it becomes all the more important – to return to work, have a social life, eat, drink and feel good. It is an issue that should come early – what goals the patient has with life. So that it becomes a meaningful life after a tough treatment.