From rxpgnews.com
Polish journalist scoops first prize in prestigious European award
By European School of Oncology,
Jul 9, 2007 - 3:59:37 AM
9 July 2007 - Pawel Walewski, a correspondent with Polands biggest selling weekly magazine Polityka, has been awarded the European School of Oncologys Best Cancer Reporter Award for 2007. The Award was established by the European School of Oncology (ESO) in 2006 to encourage better quality media coverage of cancer and recognise the many examples of outstanding cancer reporting by journalists across Europe.
The standard of this years entries was very high, with nominations received for journalists from Belgium, Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. Walewski, who will receive a prize of 10,000, said he felt honoured to be given this Award I have been writing about oncology and cancer survivors for ten years but every time I sit at my computer or reach for a pen I have a dilemma: how to reconcile competent information, based on facts and science. I am delighted the judging panel recognised it as the important issue.
Linda Geddes a correspondent with the New Scientist magazine and Maria Valerio Sainz who writes for the online version of Spanish newspaper El Mundo were joint runners up and will receive a prize of 5,000 each. When told that she had received a Best Cancer Reporter Award Geddes said that It is good to know that this kind of investigative health reporting is still valued and rewarded. I hope I have helped to raise awareness of the desperation some cancer patients feel, and the need for their doctors to listen to them and help them make the right decisions for their health.
Sainz flagged the important role that journalists play in educating the public about cancer and said I think that journalists have an important social responsibility, even more so when talking about health and illness
I feel that we should show the human courage of all those who live and survive a tumour
that's why I try to use a simple language, a human tone, far from unrealistic expectations and false alarms.
A further two journalists were specially commended by the Best Cancer Reporter Award jury for the courage in writing their own cancer story in order to raise awareness about the challenges faced daily by cancer patients: Eric Baumann of TagesAnzeiger, Switzerland and Iva Skochova from the Prague Post, Czech Republic.
The journalists will be presented with their prizes at a ceremony that will take place during ESOs forthcoming media event Cancer: Time for a Reality Check that will be held on Friday October 26 2007 in Rome, Italy.
In order to further promote excellence in cancer journalism ESO is pleased to announce the launch of its Cancer Media Service (CMS) at
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