Across the world, more than 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. But not all children have access to good care, timely diagnosis, or treatment. Their chance of recovery therefore depends greatly on where they live. In low- and middle-income countries, where 80% of children with cancer live, the survival rate is about 20%. In high-income countries, including the Netherlands, the situation is the opposite.
Heine, together with Máxima International, aims for a minimum global survival rate of 60% for all children with cancer. This is also the goal of the World Health Organization (WHO). ‘We want every child with cancer, wherever they live, to have access to good care. Not only today, but also in the future.’
Implementation research
To reduce global inequality in care for children with cancer, Heine will use implementation research. This approach looks at how proven effective care can best be introduced and sustained in practice. Heine: ‘That sounds simple, but it requires tailored solutions. Especially in countries with limited resources.’
Martin Heine will work on five key themes that form the foundation for improving equity in pediatric cancer care:
- Innovation – Adjusting or rethinking existing treatments and care practices so they fit local circumstances. This includes collaboration with healthcare providers, families, and policymakers.
- Process – Studying different ways to ensure that changes can be implemented sustainably. For example, what works best to bring an innovation into practice: an education program or a policy change?
- Personal – Gaining a better understanding of how children and their parents, healthcare providers, and policymakers interact and cooperate to achieve lasting change. What attitudes, knowledge, and motivations play a role?
- Internal environment – Examining the role of hospitals and other organizations in improving care.
- External environment – Understanding how government policy, cultural differences, and funding influence care.
Máxima International
From his research group, Heine will work closely with Máxima International, various twinning partners, and other research groups in which implementation plays an important role. The aim of Máxima International is to help improve the quality of pediatric oncology care, education, and research through international collaboration.
Martin Heine: ‘In some countries, survival rates for children with cancer are high. The issue is not that we don’t know how to cure childhood cancer, but that what works and leads to good outcomes is not always available or feasible everywhere. I look forward to working together on that challenge!’