Projects:
CCI Europe is keen to advance research and foster collaboration. Therefore, CCI Europe is coordinator or partner in the following third party funded project (EU, as well as non-EU).
If you want to learn more about the finalized projects, please check this page: FINALIZED PROJECTS
About the project:
MPACT-EU seeks to create a unified service system for psychosocial support in paediatric oncology, ensuring better and more equal access to care across Europe. The project integrates medical and psychosocial care with advocacy from patient organisations to provide a holistic, collaborative approach that can be adapted across diverse contexts.
Its overall goal is to improve the quality of life and well-being of children and adolescents with cancer, as well as their families, siblings, and relatives, through comprehensive mental, psychosocial, nutritional, and medical support.
Based on current standards and clinical needs, the project focuses on four main actions:
- Developing a European consensus guideline on psychosocial care standards in paediatric oncology;
- Mapping available psychosocial services within and outside hospitals across Europe to identify gaps, barriers, and facilitators;
- Providing training opportunities for healthcare professionals and peer supporters to strengthen psychosocial competences and awareness; and
- Piloting the implementation of psychosocial standards in five European countries using evidence-based tools
Through these actions, IMPACT-EU aims to establish a European framework for high-quality, accessible, and equitable psychosocial care in paediatric oncology. The project directly supports the core objectives of the EU4Health Programme by strengthening health systems and improving access to quality, patient-centred, outcome-based healthcare for all children and families affected by cancer.
Project website: https://www.eibir.org/projects/rhythm/
Duration: October 2025 – October 2028
Grant Authority: European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA)
Project Nr.: 101219209
Coordinator: SIOP Europe
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
About the project:
The RHYTHM project is working to make medical imaging safer and more effective for children, teenagers, and young adults. These patients are more sensitive to radiation, so it’s especially important to use imaging methods carefully and wisely.
The project focuses on scans that use radiation, such as CT, SPECT/CT, PET/CT, and CT scans used in radiotherapy planning. It aims to solve several key problems, including:
- Using scans when they aren’t really needed
Limited access to imaging machines designed specifically for children
Not enough training for doctors, healthcare workers, and patients about safe imaging
To address these issues, RHYTHM brings together experts from healthcare, industry, regulators, and patient groups. Its goals include:
- Creating evidence-based guidelines to help doctors decide when and how to scan
- Developing safe, standardized imaging protocols adapted for young patients
- Building a large European database to compare radiation doses and image quality, so hospitals can learn from each other and improve practices
The project also puts strong emphasis on education and awareness. It will provide training for healthcare professionals using courses, online videos, and case studies, and share these widely through platforms like EuroSafe Imaging. Outreach campaigns will also target parents, young adults, and healthcare providers to raise awareness about safe and effective imaging.
Project website: https://www.eibir.org/projects/rhythm/
Duration: October 2025 – October 2029
Grant Authority: European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA)
Project Nr.: 101232948
Coordinator: European Institute for Biomedical Imaging Research (EIBIR)
RHYTHM is co-funded under the EU4Health Programme 2021–2027 under grant agreement no. 101232948. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Health and Digital Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
About the project:
PanCare4AYA will develop an international clinical guideline for surveillance and Survivorship Care, and develop and test a screening programme for AYA cancer survivors to make long-term Survivorship care easier to achieve across Europe. This project will be led by prof. Leontien Kremer in collaboration with dr. Heleen van der Pal from the Princess Máxima Center for pediatric oncology in the Netherlands and will be a collaboration between 29 partners from 14 countries.
The project will build upon the results of the PanCareFollowUp project and guidelines from the International Guideline Harmonization Group and the PanCare network to translate knowledge on guideline based long-term Survivorship Care for childhood cancer survivors to AYA cancer survivors.
Project Objectives:
The project will:
- Develop an international, evidence- and consensus-based guideline for AYA cancer Survivorship Care (screening and follow-up), and develop supportive PLAIN language brochures based on the guideline
- Develop the person-centred AYA Cancer Survivor Screen programme to apply the AYA cancer Survivorship Care guideline in practice, including a Programme Manual with a Survivorship Care Plan (SCP) template (including Treatment Summary), supporting materials for survivors and healthcare professionals (HCPs) to implement the AYA Cancer Survivor Screen programme and an implementation strategy
- Develop support tools for the AYA Cancer Survivor Screen programme, including AYA survivor peer support networks, AYA-specific versions of existing digital tools for Survivorship and a guide for developing digital tools for Survivorship Care.
- Conduct an implementation study of the person-centred AYA Cancer Survivor Screen programme in 11 European countries with 1,000 AYA cancer survivors, to assess the impact of the programme on:
- Empowerment, mental, psychosocial, QoL outcomes
- Healthcare delivery and screening-related health
- Experiences of AYA cancer survivors and HCPs with implementing the state-of-the-art screening programme within a range of different healthcare settings,
- Feasibility, and
- Costs for healthcare systems.
- Contribute to the “Quality of Life” cluster for the Mission on Cancer and establish links with other (EU) initiatives in AYA cancer Survivorship Care to avoid duplication of effort and maximise synergies
- Develop a Replication Toolkit for the AYA Cancer Survivor Screen programme to support scale-up of the AYA Cancer Survivor Screen programme across Europe
- Communicate and disseminate the importance of screening in AYA cancer Survivorship Care and the project results to key stakeholders to promote scale-up of the AYA Cancer Survivor Screen programme and improve AYA cancer Survivorship Care across Europe
PanCare4AYA will be a 5-year programme bringing together many partners from all over Europe and connecting the childhood and AYA cancer communities to jointly improve survivorship care for all survivors treated from 0-39 years of age.
Project website: https://pancare4aya.eu/
Duration: Apr 2025 – May 2030
Grant Authority: European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA)
Project Nr.: 101213107
Coordinator: Princess Máxima Center for pediatric oncology
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
The European Youth Cancer Network (YARN) weaves together & builds on the EU-CAYAS-NET and OACCUs projects to expand the EU Network of Young People Affected by Cancer, focusing on peer support, social networking, and digital tools to improve access to information, particularly for those facing relapse, metastatic cancer, and treatment side effects.
A Youth Cancer Council will empower young people with cancer experience in leadership through systematic integration into project design. By embedding their voices into feedback loops and consultations, the Council ensures lived experience shapes outcomes and drives long-term policy impact. The project will assess the role of social connections on the emotional well-being of young people with cancer. An impact study will evaluate the effects of the EU action grant on Beneficiaries and Partners, focusing on collaboration and synergies with other EU projects.
Through focus groups, peer visits, training programs, webinars, and workshops, the project will implement psychosocial and mental health care standards, offer education and career support, and develop comprehensive resources for long-term follow-up and transition of care through evidence-based guidelines. It will improve access to multilingual resources on coping with treatment side effects, relapse, and metastatic cancer for youth living with and beyond cancer.
The project will also promote Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in healthcare institutions and patient communities through tools like the Inclusivity Checklist
and a Certification System. A focus on healthy lifestyles will introduce exercise programs, workshops, and a bootcamp to improve well-being. Communication
campaigns will reach 50 million people across Europe, and the Advocacy, Cancer & Empowerment (ACE) Academy will train 100 patient advocates. The project will also maintain and expand its digital Platform to host multilingual, reliable information and ensure synergies with other EU-funded projects.
Project website: beatcancer.eu
Duration: Jul 2025 – Jun 2028
Grant Authority: European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA)
Project Nr.: 101219053
Coordinator: Youth Cancer Europe
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Symmetrian is a platform where one can find patient experts that can give relevant input into many research initiatives and R&D processes. It bridges the gap between patient experts and a wide range of research initiatives. It connects relevant research and investigative activities with suitable patient experts, facilitating impactful patient-centred collaborations in order to improve research outcomes.
Project website: https://symmetrian.org/
Duration:
Coordinator: European Patient Advocacy Institute
An estimated 1 in 20 Europeans has now faced a cancer diagnosis. This disease not only takes a toll on the body but also weighs heavily on mental health. Patients undergoing cancer treatment as well as survivors, after their treatment, often face a cascade of psychological and cognitive challenges, including anxiety, depression, fear, and uncertainty. This can severely impact the quality of life for patients, their families and caregivers.
Unfortunately, psychological support is often lacking due to inequalities in access and the lingering stigma surrounding mental health. Many patients, especially those from underserved regions or disadvantaged backgrounds, do not receive adequate mental health screening or care.
ALTHEA works to address these issues.
Solutions exist. Systematic mental health screening ensures that patients are given timely access to psychological support. And early intervention is key. By recognising warning signs, healthcare professionals can intervene sooner, preventing emotional distress from escalating and providing more personalised care.
ALTHEA aims to provide high-quality, remote, psychological support through digital platforms. By designing software that can be easily used on simple devices, we ensure that the tool is accessible in remote regions and to those with limited access to technology.
Beyond supporting patients, ALTHEA will develop guidance and best practices for oncology professionals, promoting a collaborative approach between them and mental health professionals. By cementing mental health support in the cancer pathway, ALTHEA is setting a new standard for comprehensive cancer care.
Project Website: https://www.ieo.it/en/PNA/Althea-Project/
Duration: 2024 – 2027
Grant Authority: European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA)
Project Nr.: 101161236
Coordinator: IEO European Institute of Oncology
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
The aim of this project is to establish an international data integration platform to enable research and prioritise drug development for children with cancer. A decisive step towards systematic prioritization of new cancer therapies for children in Europe and beyond through a better use of, and access to, existing genomic and clinical data.
The platform aim is to collate and integrate more than 5,000 comprehensive genomics datasets for paediatric cancers that have been generated to date across the participating precision oncology programs. There are eight participating programmes from Europe, Canada and Australia.
CCI-E’s leads the WP7 (Patient Oversight and Advocacy) and contributes to the project on these tasks:
- Coordination
Contribute to overall governance, as permanent member of the Management Committee (WP 1)
- Reactive consultation
Act as sounding board on topics requiring patient input, across all WPs
- Pro-active consultation
Identify, articulate and (help) remediate potential issues, throughout all WPs
- Advocacy & communication
Contribute to internal and external communication and creation of support for the project
Website: https://www.pedcanportal.eu/
Duration: Jan 2023 – December 2027
Grant Authority: Dietmar HOPP Foundation
Coordinator: German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ Heidelberg) & Hopp Children’s Cancer Center (KiTZ Heildelberg)
The ERN PaedCan is focusing on reducing inequalities in treatment of childhood cancer and focusing on improving follow-up care for survivors through fostering the further development of the Survivorship passport (SURPASS) tool.
CCI Europe is in the Steering Committee of the ERN PaedCan and strongly involved in all project activities. So far, CCI Europe developed a roadmap for parents’ and survivors’ groups within the network and a movie to raise awareness of late-effects.
Project website: https://paedcan.ern-net.eu/
Duration: Jan 2023 – Dec 2027
Grant Authority:
Project Nr.:
Coordinator: CCRI
PanCareSurPass (PCSP) will look at implementation of the digital Survivorship Passport (http://www.survivorshippassport.org/) tool to improve person-centred care for survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Lithuania and Spain. Through the tool, survivors and their healthcare providers will receive a detailed Treatment Summary and a personalised Survivorship Care Plan, based on evidence-based international clinical guidelines. The project will also develop materials to support future replication in new countries in the future.
CCI Europe is actively inputting into the research being conducted and will be a key partner in communicating the project to survivor groups across Europe.
Project website: Website
Duration: Mar 2021 – Feb 2025
Grant Authority: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (RTD)
Project Nr.:899999
Coordinator: UNIVERSITAETSMEDIZIN DER JOHANNES GUTENBERG-UNIVERSITAET MAINZ
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
