What is the Best Cancer Reporter Award?

The Best Cancer Reporter Award is an independent initiative of the European School of Oncology (ESO) that is funded by private donors. The School established the Award in 2006 to acknowledge excellence in cancer journalism. Good cancer journalism helps people understand the experience of cancer patients, and that their chances of surviving with quality of life improve dramatically if cancer services are effective, from early detection to treatment, rehabilitation and long-term support. The media can raise awareness about ways of bridging gaps and addressing inequities in cancer, as well as portraying people’s experience of the disease in a more realistic light. High quality cancer journalism conveys important messages to the general public that cancer is not always a death sentence, early diagnosis saves lives, access to optimal treatment improves outcomes, and that life does not stop because you have cancer. 

By establishing the Best Cancer Reporter Award ESO hopes to promote intelligent and critical coverage of cancer and acknowledge the many examples of excellence in reporting cancer by journalists across Europe.

Who can be nominated for ESO’s Best Cancer Reporter Award?

The Award is open to consumer journalists (staff or freelance) writing for print or online publications who have demonstrated outstanding ability in covering cancer stories. Journalists can nominate themselves or be nominated by a colleague or member of the cancer community.

What do the winners of ESO’s Best Cancer Reporter Award Receive?

The Best Cancer Reporter Award winner will receive a cash prize of €10,000 plus an all expenses paid trip to attend the Award Ceremony at a key cancer conference. There is also one runner-up prize of €5000. An article written by winning journalists will be published in ESO’s CancerWorld magazine.

How can I nominate someone for ESO’s Best Cancer Reporter Award 2010?

You can nominate a journalist for the 2010 Best Cancer Reporter Award by completing a nomination form and sending it to the European School of Oncology by 30 April 2010.

To enter the BCRA or nominate someone you know please download this nomination form
PDF Nomination form
WORD Nomination form

Where can I find further information about ESO’s Best Cancer Reporter Award?

Rules
Judging criteria
Judging panel
Further information

For more information please contact:
mediaservice@eso.net or call Corinne Hall +39 0285464522 

2009 Best Cancer Reporter Award
ESO is pleased to announce that Margaret McCartney and Linda Geddes are joint winners of the European School of Oncology's Best Cancer Reporter Award (BCRA) for 2009. The award-giving ceremony took place at Central Hall Westminster during the 6th World Conference for Science Journalists in London. 

To view an example of the winners work please click on their names.

Joint 1st Prize
Margaret McCartney, Financial Times, United Kingdom 
Linda Geddes, New Scientist, United Kingdom

2nd Prize 
Rabiya Tuma, The Economist, US

In addition, Italian journalist Daniela Ovadia and Portuguese journalist Nelson Marques received a Special Merit Award certificate that recognises the excellence of their work.

For further information about the 2009 BCRA winners, please, read the following press release: 

Two British journalists win joint first prize in prestigious cancer journalism award

Which journalists have won ESO’s Best Cancer Reporter Award in previous years?

2008 
In 2008 Best Cancer Reporter Awards were given to the following journalists: 
1st Prize
Simon Crompton, The Times, United Kingdom 
2nd Prize
Ulrich Bahnsen, Die Zeit, Germany 
3rd Prize
Päivi Repo, Helsingin Sanomat, Finland

In addition, Adrian Sudbury (UK) received a Special Merit Award in recognition of his willingness to write, through his blog (Baldy’s Blog), about his personal cancer experience in order to raise awareness about the need for bone and marrow donations.

2007
In 2007 Best Cancer Reporter Awards were given to the following journalists: 
1st Prize
Pawel Walewski, Polityka, Poland 
Joint 2nd Prize
Maria Valerio Sainz, El Mundo, Spain 
Linda Geddes, New Scientist, UK

In addition, Eric Baumann from the Tages-Anzeiger, Switzerland and Iva Shohova from the Prague Post, Czech Republic received a Special Merit Award in recognition of their willingness to write about their personal cancer experience in order to raise awareness about some of the difficulties faced by cancer patients as they progress through their cancer journey.

2006
The following journalists were given Best Cancer Reporter Awards in 2006. 
1st Prize
Sarah Boseley, The Guardian, UK
Joint 2nd Prize
Catherine Kalamis, Guernsey Press, UK
Simon Crompton, The Times, UK 
3rd Prize 
Paul Benkimoun, Le Monde, France