#  Global Childhood Cancer 

 



       ![a boy in a blue shirt and a girl in a pink knit hat and print dress blowing bubbles](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/humanitarianinitiative/files/global-childhood-cancer-hero-final.jpg?itok=KXrlNqnK) 

 

 



 

 



 

**Founded:** 2020  
**Program Lead:** Irini Albanti, DrPH, MPH, MA  
**Status:** Completed Program, June 2025  
**Regions of Focus:** All Global Regions  
**Research Theme**: Risk, Resilience and Response

## Description

The HHI Global Childhood Cancer Program aims to decrease inequities for children with cancer in low-resource and crisis settings. The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative’s (HHI) program on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Humanitarian Settings seeks to address the heavy burden of chronic disease in humanitarian settings and fragile states to improve humanitarian action and join international efforts to prevent, control and ultimately reduce the burden of NCDs, in particular in the world’s most vulnerable populations.

   ![Global Childhood Cancer Stats Image Final](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/humanitarianinitiative/files/screenshot_29.png?itok=C2H8gx7N) 

 

## Projects

#### Strategic planning for new pediatric oncology services in low-resource settings  
Storytelling for Impact in Global Health

- Global Health Education
- Day One Talk

#### Strategies for Policy Change and Advocacy  
Financing

- Cost-effectiveness of childhood cancer treatment
- Financial planning study for the establishment of pediatric cancer centers in resource-limited settings



 



###    Methodology  expand\_more  

 

 The Global Childhood Cancer Program aims to apply evidence-based theoretical models, public health frameworks, and research methodologies t to design and implement the diverse portfolio of projects. Qualitative and quantitative research methods, Theory of Change, Socioecological Model, CureAll framework: WHO global initiative for childhood cancer, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, WHO Health Systems Building Blocks. Lean Six/Sigma, Health Systems Change, health communication models, and other methods are used to assess and demonstrate the impact of storytelling in pediatric oncology in low-resource settings.



 

 

 



###    Collaborators  expand\_more  

 

 [World Health Organization Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer](https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/documents/health-topics/cancer/who-childhood-cancer-overview-booklet.pdf)

 [Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO)](https://www.paho.org/en)

 [St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital](https://www.stjude.org/global/collaborating-to-cure/global-initiative.html)

 [Persistent Productions](https://www.persistentproductions.com/)

 [Global Health Initiative at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center](https://www.dana-farber.org/global-health-initiative/)



 

 

 



 

 

 

 

##  Team 

 



  [### Irini Albanti, DrPH, MPH, MA

 ](/people/irini-albanti)Executive Director

Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

 

 

 Dr. Irini Albanti is the Executive Director at Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI), a Lecturer in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, and a Lecturer of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical... 

 

 

      ![Irini Albanti](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-05/Weintz%20Studio%202023_9%20copy_0.jpg?itok=FJSF3OjR) 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 The Global Childhood Cancer Team includes the following members:

- [Meghan Shea, MFA](https://www.persistentproductions.com/our-story)
- [Leslie Lehmann, MD](https://www.danafarberbostonchildrens.org/find-a-doctor/lehmann-leslie-e)
- [Lisa Morrissey, MPH MSN RN CPHON NE-BC](https://siop-online.org/member/morrissey-lisa-mrs/)
- [Nitin Shrivastava, MD, MPH](https://connects.catalyst.harvard.edu/Profiles/display/Person/147353)
- [Michael Rogers](https://www.persistentproductions.com/our-story)