merrion street

Minister Catherine Byrne today congratulated the Irish Cancer Society for winning first prize in the 2018 EU Health Award for NGOS.

Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, announced the winners of the 2018 EU Health Award for NGOs Working to Prevent Tobacco Use today (12 November, 2018).

The first prize of €20,000 was awarded to the Irish Cancer Society for their "X-HALE Youth Smoking Prevention Programme”. The prize was awarded for the innovative social dimension of their campaign, the peer-to-peer approach and tackling vulnerable groups.

I am delighted that the Irish Cancer Society’s long running X-HALE programme has received justified recognition at EU level

Minister Byrne said.

The rates of smoking have declined in recent years and particularly amongst young people. Programmes like X-HALE and the advocacy work of the Irish Cancer Society generally has greatly assisted in this reduction. I would like to congratulate the Irish Cancer Society, the X-HALE programme leaders and, in particular, all the young participants for this tremendous achievement.

Notes to the Editor

The aim of the EU Health Award for NGOs Working to Prevent Tobacco Use is to reward outstanding initiatives by NGOs which have helped achieve higher levels of public health for Europeans through actions aimed at avoiding tobacco use initiation among adolescents and young adults.

For more information see: https://ec.europa.eu/health/ngo_award/home_en