Alba Gilca
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albagilca.bsky.social
Alba Gilca
@albagilca.bsky.social
Public health advocate🙌
Cancer prevention 🍎🏋️‍♀️💧
Food policy lover 🥦
Paella cook 🥘
📍 Brussels
💼 Association of European Cancer Leagues
@cancerleagues.bsky.social
Pinned
Cancer prevalence and mortality are so closely linked to socioeconomic status and education level that one might think poverty is the number one risk factor.

#CancerInequality #PublicHealth #SocialDeterminants #HealthEquity #CancerPrevention #RightToHealth #HealthPolicy
Reposted by Alba Gilca
👏 A warm welcome to our new President and Executive Board members!

Last week, cancer societies from across Europe met in Porto for our Annual General Assembly, where we elected Juha Pekka Turunen from the Cancer Society of Finland @syopajarjestot.bsky.social as ECL's new President.
November 18, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
🫁 November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in Europe, responsible for nearly 1 in 5 cases (19.5%).

Explore our infographic with the EU Healthy Air Coalition: buff.ly/sSdfpnJ
November 4, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
🍷 To mark the final week of #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth, 20+ health groups are calling on EU policymakers to take strong action against alcohol.

🎗️ Alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer, even in small amounts.

Read the full press release: buff.ly/aOrc8O1
October 27, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Implementation findings of the Europe's Beating Cancer Plan. What's measures are still missing? those related to

- Tobacco control
- Alcohol labeling
- Nutrition labeling
- Childhood obesity
- Sunbeds

Reminder: 40% of cancer cases can be prevented. If measures implemented

shorturl.at/4qwhA
Europe's Beating Cancer Plan: Implementation findings | Think Tank | European Parliament
Europe's Beating Cancer Plan: Implementation findings
shorturl.at
October 21, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
🚭 Protecting children & young people must be central to Europe’s tobacco tax legislation.

Yesterday, we met with the EU Commissioner in charge of taxation, @wopkehoekstra.ec.europa.eu & the EU Health Commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi, to share our views on the Tobacco Tax Directive revision.
October 1, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
🍽️ Unhealthy diets are a major risk factor for both cancer and cardiovascular disease.

❤️ Read our open letter calling on the EU Health Commissioner to put healthy, sustainable diets at the heart of the upcoming EU Cardiovascular Health Plan ➡️ buff.ly/66k4ET6
October 3, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
🎗 October is #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth.️

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the EU. In 2022, approximately 374,800 women were diagnosed with the disease.

Throughout October, we'll be spotlighting impactful initiatives from cancer leagues across Europe. Stay tuned!
October 6, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
🚨 A new WHO report shows that one in four adults in Europe continues to use tobacco – the highest rates worldwide.

🚭 Together with @europeancancer.bsky.social, we urge EU finance ministers to back policy that prevents cancer and protects future generations: www.cancer.eu/european-can...
October 9, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
Every 15 minutes in Europe, a family hears the devastating news that their child has cancer.

As we wrap up #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth, MEP Loucas Fourlas, Vice-Chair of MEPs Against Cancer, calls for stronger action against this disease.

#GoldSeptember @eppgroup.bsky.social
October 7, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
💊 Talks between EU legislators on the EU's #PharmaPackage - the first major overhaul of the EU pharmaceutical framework since 2004 - are continuing today.

This is a landmark reform that could finally fix gaps in cancer patients' access to affordable medicines. Our 5️⃣ recommendations: buff.ly/HQAgD7q
October 7, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Yet another example of negative commercial determinants of health

Sunbeds are known to be especially harmful for young population, increasing the risk of skin cancer by 59%, according to the cancer research agency

And again yet, some governemnts prioritise (commercial) profir over (public) health
bmj.com The BMJ @bmj.com · Oct 2
Despite regulation, commercial sunbeds remain popular with young people and indoor tanning is experiencing a boom in popularity.

An outright ban of sunbeds is likely to be cost effective for the NHS, says this Analysis
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
October 2, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

#BreastCancer is the most common cancer among women globally and represents approximately a quarter of all cancers that occur in women every year.
October 1, 2025 at 6:39 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
This week, we came together to celebrate #WorldCancerResearchDay! 🌎✨

🔬 Behind every treatment, there’s research. In Spain, the Spanish Association Against Cancer - an ECL member - welcomed Her Majesty Queen Letizia of Spain to discuss challenges with researchers and patients.

🔗 buff.ly/gkClPuW
September 26, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
👉 Un derecho constitucional
👉 Un derecho que es inseparable de la democracia misma.

Hablamos de derecho de acceso a la información y estas palabras son parte de la sentencia del Tribunal Supremo que obliga al Gobierno a entregar el código fuente de BOSCO.

civio.es/lo-publico/2...
Civio abre camino en la transparencia algorítmica: el Supremo condena al Gobierno a entregar el código fuente de BOSCO
La sentencia, que crea jurisprudencia, considera que el uso de aplicaciones en la toma de decisiones públicas debe ir acompañada de transparencia que permita su fiscalización. Rechaza que la…
civio.es
September 27, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
💰 Tobacco taxes are the most effective way to reduce smoking.

That's why we teamed up with @partnershipfree.bsky.social, @europeancancer.bsky.social, @myesmo.bsky.social & @europeanrespsoc.bsky.social to call on EU governments to support the EU Tobacco Tax Directive revision.

🔗 buff.ly/H5e5KOj
September 16, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
🚨 Together with a coalition of 25 European health groups, we have submitted a complaint to the European Ombudswoman about the 2025 #EU4Health operating grant procedure.

Operating grants are essential for keeping Europe's health civil society stable and heard.
Health organisations lodge complaint to European Ombudswoman on 2025 EU4Health operating grants - EU4health
22 Sep 25
buff.ly
September 24, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
🍷 People have a right to know about the link between alcohol and cancer. Yet the draft EU Wine Package risks making health information even harder to access.

With the European Health Alliance on Alcohol, we call on the EU to put cancer prevention at the heart of EU wine policy.

🔗 buff.ly/VDjNaUj
September 22, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
Nutri-score papers: After a two-year battle for transparency, foodwatch joins "Access Info" to challenge the European Commission’s refusal to disclose key documents related to proposed EU legislation on mandatory front-of-pack nutritional labelling. www.foodwatch.org/en/nutri-sco...
Nutri-score papers: foodwatch joins Access Info in case before the General Court of the European Union
After a two-year battle for transparency by foodwatch, foodwatch joins Access Info to challenge the European Commission’s refusal to disclose key documents related to proposed EU legislation on mandat...
www.foodwatch.org
September 16, 2025 at 9:41 AM
@unicef’s latest report: Food environments are failing children.

Who regulates them? Policymakers

When they don’t act? Junk food targets kids

The solution? Policymakers must do their job and protect children.

shorturl.at/W3HwE
September 10, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
September is #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth 🎗️

Every 15 minutes, a child is diagnosed with cancer. That's why European cancer leagues are funding life-saving research & the development of new treatments.

Visit your national cancer society to learn how you can get involved to beat childhood cancer 💛
September 3, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
👟 Every step counts

I’m joining #KickCancer in their 10K Run to Kick to raise funds for #ChildhoodCancer research.

Because #Prevention can’t stop childhood cancer - but #Research can.

Let’s turn running into research, and research into #cures 💛

👉Will you support me?

Vamos!! 🙌

shorturl.at/anjWk
Vamos!
A great fundraiser dedicated to KickCancer !
shorturl.at
August 20, 2025 at 1:20 PM
👟 Every step counts

I’m joining #KickCancer in their 10K Run to Kick to raise funds for #ChildhoodCancer research.

Because #Prevention can’t stop childhood cancer - but #Research can.

Let’s turn running into research, and research into #cures 💛

👉Will you support me?

Vamos!! 🙌

shorturl.at/anjWk
Vamos!
A great fundraiser dedicated to KickCancer !
shorturl.at
August 20, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
The alcohol, gambling and junk food industries have no place providing educational materials to schools.

58 leading academics and orgs have urged Education Secretary @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social to follow Ireland’s lead in removing these materials from classrooms.

As Prof Chris van Tulleken states:
August 8, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Reposted by Alba Gilca
🍷 Cancer leagues across Europe are raising their voices to help bring the hidden link between #alcohol and cancer into the spotlight.

🎥 Listen to Lex Schaul from our Luxembourg member Fondation Cancer as he explains why joining forces with other health advocates is key.

#AlcoholAndCancer
July 29, 2025 at 8:17 AM
#Liver cancer is set to double by 2050 - but 60% of cases are preventable.

The drivers:
- Chronic hepatitis
- Alcohol consumption
- Obesity and metabolic liver disease #MASLD

The solutions:
- #Vaccination & #Screening
- #Alcohol and #UPF regulation
- Better #FoodEnvironment

shorturl.at/nVHXs
July 30, 2025 at 8:06 AM