The fight against cancer knows no borders. To truly transform oncology care, the medical, scientific, and policy communities must look outward, bridging regional efforts with international insights. This spirit of boundary-pushing collaboration was front and center at the 2nd Annual All-Island Cancer Summit, which took place on Tuesday, 19 May 2026, at the iconic Croke Park in Dublin.
Hosted by The Business Post in collaboration with the All-Island Cancer Research Institute (AICRI), the one-day summit served as a premier cross-border forum. It brought together healthcare leaders, policymakers, clinical experts, industry pioneers, and patient advocacy groups from across Ireland, Northern Ireland, and beyond. As an official partner of the event, Global Health Connector was thrilled to join this vital gathering to explore how high-level policy ambition can be translated into impactful, life-saving cancer care delivery.
A major highlight for Global Health Connector was our featured fireside chat and panel discussion: “Global Data, Local Impact: International Insights for Transforming Cancer Care on the Island of Ireland.” This session explored the vital role that international data trends and interconnected networks play in accelerating cancer detection and enhancing survivorship locally.
The panel brought together an extraordinary lineup of thought leaders:
Our session at the All-Island Cancer Summit directly mirrors the core philosophy of our broader mission: linking local initiatives to a grander global framework. Just a few months ago, on 2 March 2026 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, we officially launched the Global Cancer Ecosystem (GCE).
Conceived as a “Crucible for CollaborAction,” the GCE is a global communication and action platform designed to move beyond fragmented dialogue and toward measurable, collective impact. Coordinated by our Innovation Project Manager, Federica Porcu, and guided by an international Steering Group, which includes our Chair Brian O’Connor, Prof. Mark Lawler (Queen’s University Belfast), Eduardo Pisani (All.Can International), Carina Dantas (SHINE2Europe), Marius Geanta (INOMED), Nicole Althaus (Ambassador at GHC), and Hannatu Ayuba Usman (Cancer Consciousness Initiative), at the GCE focuses on three critical pillars that perfectly align with the goals of the All-Island Summit:
As Brian O’Connor stated at the GCE launch: “We created the Global Cancer Ecosystem in response to demand from our members, partners, and 90+ communities around the world. They wanted a focal point that would connect the many initiatives taking place globally, amplify the excellent work being done by so many, and, with that collective power and voice, make a sustainable difference.”
The urgency of this work cannot be overstated. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), more than 35 million new cancer cases are projected by 2050, a staggering 77% increase from 2022.
As Prof. Mark Lawler frequently reminds us: “Cancer won’t wait. We can’t wait. Our Crucible for CollaborAction is a Call to Action – uniting the community to act urgently, to compete not against each other, but against our common enemy: cancer.” Additionally, as Eduardo Pisani noted, improving care efficiency is a patient imperative; we must achieve better health outcomes through a smarter, well-coordinated use of available global resources.
Global Health Connector exists to build a truly collaborative global movement that drives health transformations across themes, sectors, and cultures. But we cannot do it alone. The success of the All-Island Cancer Summit is a testament to what happens when local ecosystems engage deeply.
To learn more about our ongoing initiatives or to get involved with our working groups, please visit our official Global Cancer Ecosystem page or reach out directly to Federica Porcu at federica@globalhealthconnector.com.