Partnership to expand quality cancer treatment for children across borders

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation’s (SNF) more than $750 million Health Initiative represents a global effort to enhance access to quality public health care for everyone—regardless of place of origin or socioeconomic background—with a special focus on children and the most vulnerable among us. In the spirit of sharing international expertise and enhancing quality health care across borders, SNF and the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF) and Center (KHCC) are proud to launch a partnership in support of children from across the Middle East who are in need of cancer treatment and care, as announced during the 2022 SNF Nostos Conference.

Through a dedicated $3 million grant, SNF will support the lifesaving work of KHCF/KHCC in Amman, Jordan, providing cancer treatment and care to children from across the region who would not otherwise be able to access it.

Worldwide, there were an estimated 19.3 million new cancer cases in 2020; 75% of new cases are in developing countries—those least able to deal with the cancer burden. In this context, the work of KHCF/KHCC, the leading cancer center in the Middle East, under the leadership of Her Royal Highness Princess Ghida Talal, has changed the landscape for adult and pediatric cancer care in Jordan and throughout the region, supporting thousands of patients in need, including displaced people and refugees.

“We are honored to celebrate the partnership with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation as one of our most important international collaborations for supporting the treatment of underprivileged and refugee children at the King Hussein Cancer Center,” said HRH Princess Ghida at the 2022 SNF Nostos Conference. “This is the humanity that gives hope for the future, and I look forward to continuing this great cooperation.”

Echoing the values of the SNF Health Initiative, KHCF/KHCC champions a patient-centric approach to treatment with a special focus on ensuring dignity and holistic, high-quality care for those who lack access and have no means to fight their disease.

“We couldn’t be more proud of our new partnership with KHCF/KHCC to make care possible for pediatric cancer patients in need, and we look forward to new pathways of collaboration between KHCC and the new SNF University Pediatric Hospital of Thessaloniki,” said SNF Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos at SNF Nostos Health, held in June 2022. “This is part of our growing effort to connect the dots between hospitals providing excellent, human-centered cancer care, especially to children, like Sant Joan de Déu Children’s Hospital in Barcelona,” he added.

The SNF University Pediatric Hospital of Thessaloniki is one of three new hospitals being created in Greece as part of the SNF Health Initiative, which also includes other infrastructure projects, procurement of state-of-the-art equipment, educational programs for health professionals, and major initiatives on mental health. The Health Initiative began in Greece but has since expanded globally through collaboration with expert and inspiring partners like KHCF/KHCC.