CAREWAY was represented at the 2nd European Cancer Mission Fair, held between 28-29 April, in Nicosia, Cyprus, as part of the event “Securing a Lasting Impact from Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the EU Cancer Mission”. The event was organized by ECHoS | Establishing Cancer Mission Hubs: Networks and Synergies, under the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in collaboration with the European Commission, and hosted by the Cyprus University of Technology. It brought together researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and patient organizations across Europe to explore how to strengthen cancer prevention and care.
CAREWAY was presented in two sessions.
During the session Health Literacy and Digital Health Literacy: Overlooked Drivers of Health Transformation, Bianca Mihaila (INOMED) highlighted the project’s work in improving cancer literacy among underserved adult populations across Europe and emphasized a key principle of the project:
Health literacy interventions are most effective when they are co-created with the people they are designed to support
Through participatory forums organized across partner countries, CAREWAY has engaged patients, informal carers, healthcare professionals, older adults, migrants, and community representatives. These activities aim to better understand real-life barriers in accessing and using cancer-related information. The insights gathered are now informing the development of the CAREWAY educational toolkit, ensuring that resources are practical, accessible, and tailored to real needs.
In the workshop “Beyond Pilots: Synergising EU Cancer Projects for Ethical and Inclusive Implementation of Digital Tools”, Carina Dantas (SHINE 2Europe) contributed to discussions showcasing the CAREWAY project and the development of an inclusive persona to strengthen cancer literacy among underrepresented populations. One key message that is been emerging from the personas development across partner countries is:
One persona does not fit all, and digital tools promoting health literacy need to be adapted to real people, real contexts and diverse cultural needs.
This interactive session brought together multiple European projects (TRACE, MAYA, CURTAIN PATH-IHI, CHILI-HPV, and EQUITY-LA) to share best practices and challenges encountered in working with underserved populations, from prevention and screening to treatment and life beyond care. Key messages emerging from the discussions included the need for:
- adapting solutions to diverse populations rather than applying a “one-size-fits-all” approach;
- supporting access for individuals with limited digital skills;
- ensuring that digital tools are used ethically in relation to people’s needs.
CAREWAY will continue to build on these insights and remain committed to improving cancer literacy and supporting better health outcomes across diverse communities across Europe.
