ENDING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CANCER SURVIVORS THROUGH THE RIGHT TO BE FORGOTTEN

Thanks to medicine’s tremendous progress, cancer is no longer a death sentence. The latest scientific research and data account for over 20 million cancer survivors in Europe. 

However, the journey of cancer survivors does not end with recovery as they often face discrimination because of their medical history years or even decades after being cured. This discrimination manifests itself in various forms: from difficulties in getting a job or keeping one, to difficulties when trying to access financial services such as life insurance or travel insurance as well as loans and mortgages.

This initiative, known as Ending Financial Discrimination against Cancer Survivors through the Right to be Forgotten, is dedicated to raising awareness of the discrimination that cancer survivors face when trying to access financial services such as insurance, mortgage or a loan.

Within the context of this initiative, financial discrimination refers to the unfair and unequal treatment of cancer survivors seeking a loan, mortgage or insurance by financial institutions (banks and insurers) because of their medical history. 

This initiative puts forward the argument that financial institutions should reflect the conclusions made by medical doctors: that when an oncologist tells a patient that they are cured and thus no longer need intensive follow-ups and tests, this should be reflected in the assessments of financial services providers.

The initiative further advocates for the development and implementation of both national and European legislations to ensure that cancer survivors do not have to pay twice for their disease. 

Dr. Françoise Meunier, a member of The Royal Academies of Medicine of Belgium (ARMB), the Chair of the Cancer Survivorship Committee of the European Academy of Cancer Sciences (EACS), Member of the Survivorship and quality of life network of the European Cancer Organisation (ECO) and member of the advisory board of smartCARE, is overseeing this initiative. 

This initiative receives the support of the Fonds Cancer ASBL.