Our Legal Team
All of us know of, care for someone with, or live with a diagnosis of cancer. According to research, nine out of ten cancers are due to the personal choices we make, from smoking, taking alcohol, and our sexual behavior, to the food we eat and how much exercise we do. Therefore, in order to prevent cancer where possible, we need policies that make 'the healthy choice the easier choice' for all people, especially the most vulnerable.
Also, in Uganda, about 28.7% of cancers are due to infectious agents. The greatest share of infection-associated cancers is due to human papillomaviruses, the virus that is associated with cervical cancer, the most common cancer in Uganda. HPV is a sexually transmitted infection. It can be prevented through vaccination of girls and boys.
Governments need to prioritize public health policies on food production, processing, distribution, consumption, and disposal, such as excise taxes on unhealthy products.
We need laws that enact and enforce restrictions on the physical availability of retailed alcohol (for example, through reduced hours of sale).
We should build on the smoking ban in public spaces with more policies to reduce the demand for tobacco products both at home and globally
We need all sectors to be involved in this fight against cancer: For example, we should have laws that mandate schools to have HPV vaccine for all girls, and HPV vaccines should be extended to include boys and replicated for other infectious agents associated with cancer.
Emphasize public health campaigns that encourage people to self-test, attend screenings for cancer, and seek medical advice for symptoms early on.
HILLARY AGNES ATARO
Hillary is a certified lawyer who advises and represents the organization in legal matters. She is involved in advocacy and lobbying efforts to promote the organization's interests and advance its policy goals. She also performs legal research and manages operations to drive forward its mission to promote the effective use of law to prevent cancer. Hillary further ensures that the ethical considerations are met for cancer patients and their treatment such as informed consent, confidentiality, and privacy rights. She also protects and manages intellectual property resulting from research and innovation activities, including patents, copyrights, and trade secrets.