Miri Ziv is a Medical Sociologist and serves as a member of various national and global councils, providing guidance on issues relating to cancer control – and all facets of the fight against cancer diseases.

Miri Ziv is active both locally and globally. She works towards initiating and implementing national projects, especially in the area of breast cancer and skin cancer. For example, she initiated steps that led to the implementation of the National Mammography Screening Program in Israel, Skin Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Programs, “Sun Smart” behavior, as well as countless other unique programs to enhance means for rehabilitation for patients and survivors.

Miri Ziv earned a M.A. degree in Medical Sociology with distinction at Tel-Aviv University, and completed the study requirements for the PhD. program. Additionally, she lectured on Medical Anthropology and Sociology at Tel Aviv University for about a decade.

Participation in Particularly Prestigious Courses

She was chosen to participate in the prestigious 92^nd St. Y Ford Fellowship Program for Community Leadership and Strategic Thinking at Columbia University and is a graduate of the intensive NBCC American Breast Cancer Coalition Project Lead® course, which trains professionals and Patient Advocates to serve as member of research committees.

National Memberships

She has served for 20 years as a member of: The Israel National Health Committee (appointed by the Minister of Health), and since its establishment, she has been serving as Coordinator and member of the Israel National Council of Oncology. In addition, she is a member of the National Council for Women’s Health,

the National Council of Health Promotion (all appointed by the Director General of the Ministry of Health), and an Executive Board Member of ZVI, Israel Health Consumers Coalition as well as an Executive Board Member of MIDGAM – the Israeli Biobank of Biological Samples in Research.

International Memberships

• Since 1995, Miri Ziv has been serving as a National Representative of the Israeli Forum in the European Breast Cancer Coalition – Europa Donna (E.D.) and served as a member of the working group that established the organization and also served as a member of its Executive Board from 1995-2000.
• From 1992-2002 she served on the Executive Board of the European Cancer Leagues (ECL), two of which she served as Vice President of the organization.
• In 2006 she was selected to serve on the Executive Board of the Union for International Cancer Control – UICC, representing over 1,000 member organizations around the globe, serving therein for a maximum term.
• In 2014, was appointed as a member of the Presidential Ad Hoc Committee for 2015-2016 of the S.I.S. (Senologic International Society, the World Society of Breast Diseases).

Since 2016 has been serving on the S.I.S. Executive Board.

• In 2014, Prof. Peter Boyle, Past Director General of the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer, and currently President of the International prevention Research Institute (iPRI), appointed Miri Ziv as a Senior Research Fellow of iPRI.
• In 2015, Miri Ziv was appointed European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Faculty Member for Cancer Prevention.
• In 2016 was appointed as a member on the Executive Board 0f the Senologic International Society – The World Society Diseases of Breast Diseases – SIS

Awards

• The Nurit Kadatzaki-Roz Award was presented to Miri Ziv in 1997, by the University of Tel Aviv Cancer Biology Research Center for “longstanding dedication and tireless efforts as Director General of the Israel Cancer Association, and commenedable achievements in the presistent battle against cancer in the State of Israel.”

• In 2005, Miri Ziv received the “Best CEO in Israel” award, presented by the Israel Association of Public Relations and Spokesmanship, “for her awareness of the tremendous importance of public relations activity for bringing issues to the forefront of the public agenda, enlisting public opinion and influencing decision makers and for her innovative and creative activities alongside her profound management skills.

• A gold medal of appreciation was awarded to Miri Ziv by the Israeli Society for Clinical Oncology & Radiation Therapy (ISCORT) for “her outstanding contribution to furthering the fight against cancer”. The medal of appreciation was awarded at the annual conference of the Society held in 2011, marking a decade of ISCORT annual conferences.
• Miri Ziv was elected as Global Cancer Ambassador by the American Cancer Society (ACS) to participate in activity to promote the fight against cancer diseases at UN headquarters in New York, led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
• A UN General Assembly High-Level meeting on NCDs was held in 2011. This meeting took place in order to put a face on the global cancer burden and engage the UN in addressing the global cancer issue and was attended by heads of state and leaders from around the world. Miri Ziv was invited to participate in the Israeli delegation to this historic meeting.
• The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) representing 34,000 researchers in 90 countries presented the 2015 AACR Award for Distinguished Public Service and Global Impact in Cancer Advocacy to Miri Ziv at the AACR Annual Meeting. The award was presented to Miri Ziv “for her remarkable accomplishments and noted Miri Ziv’s extraordinary activity, and her lifelong achievements in accelerating progress in the conquest of cancer in general, and breast cancer in particular, not only in Israel, but also all over the world, by virtue of Miri Ziv’s participation in international forums and organizations, to which she has been appointed over the years, serving on the respective executive boards”.

Miri Ziv is invited to participate and lecture at conferences in Israel and throughout the globe; recently she participated in conferences such as:

• In 2012, she was invited to the 8th International Congress of Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer in Warsaw, Poland – to lecture on ICA’s unique activities in the fight against breast cancer.
• In 2013, Miri Ziv was invited to participate in The Global Summit Consensus Conference on International Breast Health: Leaders in the Fight against Breast Cancer in Washington, U.S., aimed at convening leaders in this area for developing new ideas and implementing them in research, treatment and prevention of cancer diseases in women.
• She was invited to the USA NCI – MECC (Middle East Cancer Consortium) Leadership Forum, which took place in 2013.
• In 2014, Miri Ziv lectured at the Advances in Cancer Screening and Prevention Research conference in London, on the Achievements and Effectiveness of the Quality-Controlled National Mammography Screening Program, the initiation and implementation of which she has overseen in Israel.
• In 2014, Miri Ziv was invited to open the 2^nd Breast Cancer in Young Women Conference, in Dublin, Ireland, to present an overview of ICA’s diverse activities geared towards breast cancer patients and young breast cancer patients in particular.
• In 2016, Miri Ziv was invited to lecture at the 40^th S.I.S. Anniversary in Strasbourg.

• In 2018 Miri Ziv was invited to lecture at the 20th International Conference of the Senologic International Society – The World Society Diseases of Breast Diseases – (SIS), to be held in Strasbourg, France.

• Miri Ziv is among The Forum of about 200 leaders invited from around the world to the UICC World Cancer Leaders’ Summit.

Long before her experience of personal tragedy some 24 years ago, when she lost her son Oren to cancer, as well as her brother Dr. Benny Kornbrot, some 17 years ago, Miri Ziv acted with resolve and passion to initiate and implement plans for the prevention and early detection of cancer on the national level, as well as to promote cancer research, improve treatment modalities and rehabilitation means, advocate for patient and survivor rights and enhance their quality of life.

Needless to say, ever since her personal loss, her determination to further the fight against cancer has grown even stronger.