Shira Kuperman-Segal

Shira Kuperman-Segal (; née Linivker; August 31, 1972) is an Israeli NGO founder, medical activist and patient-rights advocate. In 2015 she co-founded Halasartan (Hebrew: Stop Cancer), an Israeli organization that provides support for young-adult cancer patients.

Career

Kuperman-Segal graduated from the Open University of Israel with a degree in Social Sciences, while serving in the IDF. She later served as the spokesperson of the Israeli Ministry of Defense and was involved in Israeli Knesset discussions of the Comptroller Committee. She was a correspondent for Israel's News 10.

She is the former CEO of the Israeli NGO Tal Center, which offers integrative medicine to Israeli patients of all ages. In a meeting with President Reuven Rivlin, Kuperman's said that research should extend "to diagnose problems, focus resources and provide complementary services in the fields of welfare, employment and housing" for cancer patients.

In 2022 she served on Israel's Ministry of Health's board for the Award for Promoters of Rights in the Healthcare System. She was involved in the legislation of Israeli laws concerning patient rights, primarily in the field of loans and leave days. Kuperman held several positions in the Ministry of Defense: in the IDF Widows and Orphans Division, as well as in the Rehabilitation Division.

Activism Halasartan: In 2015 Kuperman met Zohar Yakobson, whose daughter, Tal, died of cancer at age 26. Kuperman was appalled by the conditions which Tal underwent, including misdiagnosis, bureaucratic difficulties and a deep feeling of loneliness. Together, the two decided to found an organization that would aid young-adult cancer patients. The coined name Halasartan derived from the Hebrew slang: חלאס or "stop" and the Hebrew word for "cancer" (סרטן).

Kuperman began working with cancer patients, learning first hand of their day-to-day struggles and their unique needs. According to the European Society for Medical Oncology, the organization serves young patients with cancer among the ages 18–45 years, The NGO assists mostly patients with breast cancer, genitourinary, hematological malignancies, melanoma, lymphoma, colorectal cancer, and leukemia, among others. The community offered by the program enables patients to alleviate their "sense of seclusion" and "reduce anxiety." External surveys show that patients consider the network not only as a reliable source for medical information, but also for patient mentoring ' of newly diagnosed members by cancer survivors. A certification program was created by the Ministry of Health for such specialized nurses. She created a joint council of doctors and patients at the hospital. The council is held periodically to discuss and design the healthcare program with the patients themselves suggesting improvements.

Israeli Legislation: Kuperman cooperated with Israel's Ministry of Transportation on bettering the status of cancer patients and recognizing their unique needs. She solicited the support of former Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to support young cancer survivors. As part of her legislative efforts, Kuperman advocated a change in the manner in which the Israeli Government assists recovering cancer patients. She called to amend the Israeli "Sal Shikum" (a governmental support program) so that it would target young cancer patients, involve professional workshops, and further assist in the return of patients to the workforce, with cooperation from the National Insurance Institute of Israel. In Israel, 60% of young cancer survivors are not hired back to work. Kuperman launched a national campaign to raise awareness and to change legislation. According to Kuperman, "those who recover are discriminated against by the state twice - they are no longer entitled to a disability allowance from the National Insurance Institution, nor are they eligible for a mortgage." Kuperman demanded for the status-quo to be amended, stating that "those who won this battle [of cancer] are entitled to return to the arena of the living." She worked with the Rambam Hospital in Haifa, to establish a clinic dedicated to young-adult cancer patients. Other clinics she helped established include the Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer and the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva. The clinics serve as a fertile ground for international research in the field of oncology. Recognition and awards''': In 2019 Kuperman launched a creative campaign raising awareness for the manner in which cancer "halts" the life of young-adults. The campaign included television and live performances "halting" for a few seconds in order to show solidarity with young cancer patients. Within the realm of advertising campaigns and guerilla marketing, the creativity of the campaign was recognized internationally. In 2020 the Halasartan Association was awarded the international Zusman-Joint Prize for excellence in the development of social services. The NGO was recognized for creating solutions for an international index of health systems known as "Unmet Needs for Health Care." According to the prize committee, the association "seeks to change the popular perception that cancer patients are the sole responsibility of medical professionals, providing a greater role for the community. This, in turn, helps the health care system improve its services." Kuperman won the prize for "Responding to Loneliness and Mental Health Issues arising from Social Distance and Isolation."