title: Europa DONNA, the European Breast Cancer Coalition: lobbying at European and local levels.
abstract: Breast cancer is a serious medical and social problem, and the ultimate goal should be to promote accessible and financially sustainable high standard healthcare interventions and develop patient-oriented strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. EUROPA DONNA, a nonprofit organization, is a European women's movement against breast cancer. It provides a focus for the exchange of information and experience between members and serves as a moving force for combined actions. EUROPA DONNA represents the concerns and interests of European women to local and national authorities and governments, drawing attention to the need for improvement in or introduction of essential programs and services in the fight against breast cancer. It is a coalition of individual women and associations involved in the fight against breast cancer, active in 32 European countries, each organized as a national independent forum. Lobbying is one of the most important activities of EUROPA DONNA. In fact, only by involving institutions both on a local and a national level is it possible to achieve results that can benefit a large number of women.
authors.affiliation: EUROPA DONNA, European Breast Cancer Coalition, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buchanan
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mosconi
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006265:Health Care Coalitions / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008119:Lobbying