As part of its citizens engagement activities, the EU Cancer Mission launched a new dialogue with young cancer survivors in 2023.
Starting in January 2023, young cancer survivors from all over Europe have been gathered through a series of thematic workshops and a conference, to better understand the challenges they face during and after cancer treatment.
This dialogue steers the work of the Cancer Mission, enabling young cancer patients and survivors to co-create initiatives that will help address their specific needs, such as mental health, follow-up care or continuity in education, through research or policy actions. For example, the inclusion of a proposal to develop a platform for young cancer survivors to boost their mental health, as a flagship initiative of the European Commission communication on a Comprehensive approach to mental health (adopted in June 2023).
The engagement also helps increase the awareness on the needs of young cancer survivors among stakeholders and Member States.
Addressing the needs of young cancer survivors
The dialogue has been instrumental for the organisation of the conference “Addressing the needs of Young Cancer Survivors” held in February 2023.
For the first time, it brought together young cancer patients and survivors from EU Member States and beyond, to discuss their key challenges and needs, feeding into the Mission's work on the quality of life for survivors of childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood cancer.
The conference was part of a workshop cycle whose report summaries can be found here:
Victor (member of Youth Cancer Europe - Youth Cancer Europe (YCE)) tells us how cancer impacted his outlook on life, his key message to those funding cancer research, and what is on the top of his agenda for the future workshops with the Cancer Mission.
Karolina (young cancer survivor) shares the key challenges of her cancer experience, how she coped, as well as her take the most pressing research needs of young cancer survivors that are not currently being met.
Martina (Slovensko združenje bolnikov z limfomom in levkemijo (limfom-levkemija.org) tells us about the most important activities that helped her recovery, how she sees the future of cancer research, and how it could benefit young cancer survivors.
Ania (Pomoc dzieciom chorym onkologicznie – Fundacja Pani Ani) shares how her cancer experience made her a patient advocate, her message to those funding cancer research, and her views on how the Cancer Mission dialogue can help address key challenges of young cancer survivors.
The inclusion of new research topics in the Horizon Europe Cancer Mission and EU4Health work programmes 2024, with emphasis on late effects of treatments, quality of life and survivorship in adolescent and young adult cancers.
The organisation of a thematic session “Improving quality of life of young cancer survivors” at the Research and Innovation days on 21 March 2024.
The organisation of the thematic session “Boosting mental health of young cancer survivors” held at the European Heath Forum Gastein on 26 September 2023.
The publication of an article in the Horizon magazine on quality of life and survivorship for young cancer patients.
Synergies have been established with the European Networks of Youth Cancer Survivors EU-CAYAS-NET and OOCAU’s. Visit the Beat Cancer platform!