"The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organisation but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights." - Gloria Steinem

Are you ready to #PressforProgress? 

The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements highlight the fact still, in 2018, gender equality remains a global issue. International Women's Day is a day to recognize these challenges, shift away from complacency, and start thinking about solutions. 

MPWB proudly supports the #PressforProgress movement and gender equality. It is up to all of us to find ways to make a difference and #PressforProgress in our communities. #IWD2018 belongs to all of us. On March 8, 2018 we challenge ourselves, our members, and our communities to find a way to #PressforProgress.

it is time to renew your MPWB membership! Please update your profile and renew your membership before March 31, 2018. Visit here start the process! 

For World Cancer Day,  Dr Jake Van Dyk (President of MPWB) will be one of several presenters live-streaming messages.

To go here to access the live-stream or archives of the event. or visit the iaea page for more details:  https://www.iaea.org/events/world-cancer-day-2018

World Cancer Day is an initiative of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). 

#WorldCancerDay #WeCanICan

7 November marks the International Day of Medical Physics. The day celebrates the birthday of a pioneer in the field, Marie Curie (1867–1934), recipient of the 1903 Nobel prize in Physics, shared with Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel, and another in Chemistry in 1910 for discovering Radium and Polonium, and isolating and studying Radium.

Her career stimulated profound changes in diagnostic and therapeutic medicine. During World War 1, she help pioneered the concept of portable x-ray imaging—devices known as “Petite Curies”—throughout Europe. The impact of Radium in the treatment of cancer (via brachytherapy) cannot be overstated. She was a scientific pioneer in the truest sense.

To learn more about her amazing career, take a look at some of these great videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6JFRi0Qm_s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obscevgPDMI

In many ways, Marie Curie provides the perfect starting point in defining the core facets of a medical physicist. It all started with intelligence, innovation, critical thinking, and an undeniable passion for excellence.

She was an incredibly generous person, gifting the gold from her Nobel prizes to the government in support of the war effort. For her outstanding contributions in times of crisis, she was a board member of the Red Cross. 

In many ways, Marie Curie's legacy serves as a measure of success for MPWB: 

To support activities which will yield effective and safe use of physics and technologies in medicine through advising, training, demonstrating and/or participating in medical physics-related activities, especially in low-to-middle income countries.

The difference today is that we all know how to use radiation in helping people, but we have significant challenges in getting that help to the people who need it most. 

We have some exciting projects underway in achieving some of these goals, as noted in some of our earlier blog-posts. 

We want to thank all of our supporters for their contribution in making the world a bit safer, and helping improve access to healthcare in our world.

MPWB was featured in a recent article in medicalphysicsweb.org. 

The 2015 Lancet Oncology Commission report, Expanding Global Access to Radiotherapy, indicated that more than 22,000 medical physicists will be needed over the next 20 years to address the rising cancer crisis in low-to-middle income countries (LMICs), if equal access to radiation therapy is to be available. Its "Call for Action" on human resources indicated that 6000 medical physicists should be trained in LMICs by 2025. The problem is that many LMICs lack access to medical physics education and training programmes.

Read more about it here: http://medicalphysicsweb.org/cws/article/opinion/70286

Medical Physics for World Benefit has been asked to post the following position in Tanzania for a permanent Medical Physicist. While MPWB supports sharing information of postings like this, please note that MPWB has no formal partnering relationship with the source requesting this posting, nor claims responsibility for the position and requirements for employment. It is the responsibility of interested individuals to pursue such opportunities with their own due diligence.

Please see details of the position as hosted on our website.

The Toronto Global Cancer Control Conference will be held March 1-3, 2018 at the Hilton Hotel, Toronto.  

Please see the website for more details:

www.globalcancercontrolconference.com 

MPWB is finally ready to accept memberships and/or donations! Visit our membership page to complete your application or our donation page to make a donation.

Read about it in our latest newsletter and watch our latest video!

Watch our video below:

Medical Physics for World Benefit (MPWB) will be holding information / membership meetings at both the COMP and AAPM annual scientific meetings. 

COMP: Thursday 13 July 2017 at 5:30 pm in 'Confederation I' of the Westin Hotel in Ottawa. 

AAPM: Tuesday 1 August 2017 at 12:15 pm in 'Mineral Hall A' of the Hyatt Regency Denver (see AAPM Committees and Activities Schedule). 

As a heads up, MPWB will be opening the website for 'formal' membership applications in the near future. Stay tuned for the announcement when it is ready!