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Exchanging knowledge on the Cancer Mission

Nine countries met in Oslo last week to discuss how to establish National Cancer Mission Hubs in their respective EU member states or associated countries.

A woman is presenting in a collaborative workshop setting, holding a yellow sticky note, with participants seated at tables in the background. The attendees, including a woman in a black outfit and a man in a beige sweater, are engaged with laptops and notebooks. Behind the presenter is a large screen displaying a presentation and a backdrop featuring the "Kreftforeningens Vitensenter" logo. The room is modern, with casual seating, including a blue chair, and a vibrant red carpet. The atmosphere conveys an interactive, professional learning environment.
The Cancer Mission Hub Norway hosted partners from across Europe for a Knowledge Exchange Programme. Marine Jeanmougin, Lead EU Affairs and Digital Innovations in Oslo Cancer Cluster, was driving the initiative. Photo: Jorunn Valle Nilsen / Kreftforeningen

For more information about Cancer Mission Hub Norway, please visit: https://www.cancermission.no

Published

Dec 10, 2024

Author

Sofia Linden

Category
EU

The European Union has set the ambitious goal to improve the lives of three million people living with cancer by 2030. To reach this target, the EU project ECHoS was launched with the aim of supporting the creation of National Cancer Mission Hubs.

Last week, representatives of the ECHoS project from Norway, Ireland, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Greece and Romania met in Oslo for a two-day knowledge exchange programme.

A meeting room with participants seated around a U-shaped table arrangement, engaging in a workshop or presentation. A woman at the front of the room is presenting, standing beside a flip chart filled with colorful sticky notes. The backdrop includes a banner labeled "ECHOes" and a flat-screen TV. Attendees are surrounded by notepads, laptops, snacks, and beverages, suggesting an informal yet productive session. The walls feature whiteboards with diagrams and notes. Natural light streams in from large windows on the right, enhancing the collaborative atmosphere.
The stakeholder engagement workshops included perspectives on stakeholder identification, defining strategies, building partnerships and maintaining sustainable engagement. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster

No one-size-fits-all model

The delegates kicked off the first day at Oslo Cancer Cluster with a tour de table, where they shared insights on setting up national mission hub-like structures in their respective countries.

“From the early stage of the project, it was clear that there is no one-size-fits-all model for National Cancer Mission Hubs. Yet, we all share the same overarching goal and it’s inspiring to see how each partner is designing solutions that are tailored to the unique needs of their oncology ecosystem”, said Marine Jeanmougin, Lead EU affairs and digital innovation at Oslo Cancer Cluster.

A group of individuals gathered in a semi-circle in a modern, brightly lit office atrium with white walls and glass partitions. The participants, both men and women, are dressed in business attire, suggesting a professional discussion or briefing. One man appears to be speaking or presenting, while others listen attentively. In the background, the open office layout features workstations and hanging decorative elements. Overhead, directional signage is visible, and the setting conveys an atmosphere of collaboration within a corporate or innovation hub.
The first day also included a tour of the premises of Oslo Cancer Cluster with its Incubator and Innovation Park for the international visitors.

How to engage stakeholders

The second part of the day was spent on a stakeholder engagement workshop. One important aspect of the Mission on Cancer is to involve all sectors across the Penta Helix model, which includes the commercial sector, health and care services, public administration, citizens and civil society, and academic institutions, on a national, regional and local level.

The workshop gave the participants the opportunity to share best practices and challenges when it comes to understanding their ecosystem, developing engagement strategies, building partnerships, and fostering sustainable engagement.

“Inputs from participating countries will contribute to the development of a playbook that offers frameworks, resources, practical tips, and real-world insights on stakeholder engagement for National Cancer Mission Hubs. Examples from the collaborative efforts of the virtual All-Island Cancer Research Institute (AICRI) or the stakeholder engagement initiatives led by InoMed in the GUIDE.MRD project were particularly inspiring. The Norwegian partners also shared key learnings from their public-private partnership initiative, CONNECT, demonstrating how collaboration across the Penta Helix can effectively support the implementation of precision cancer medicine,” said Jeanmougin.

A man in a suit is presenting in a meeting room, standing next to a screen displaying a slide titled "Multistakeholder engagement - with relevance to all." The slide highlights sections labeled WC1, WC2, and WC3, referring to diagnostics, health data, and implementation. To the left, a banner reads "ECHOes of Now, Breaking Through Cancer" with a logo and the URL "cancermissionhubs.eu." The room is set up for a workshop, with a table in the foreground featuring poinsettias, pens, water bottles, and snacks. A whiteboard with sticky notes is visible in the background, indicating brainstorming or planning activities. The atmosphere is professional and collaborative.
One of the Norwegian examples of successful stakeholder engagement is CONNECT - a public-private consortium driving the implementation of precision cancer medicine. Photo: Sofia Linden / Oslo Cancer Cluster

A focus on patients

Day two was held at the Norwegian Cancer Society’s Science Centre in Oslo. Two central themes of the day were citizen engagement and patient participation.

Astrid Bjerke, strategic adviser at the Norwegian Cancer Society, gave an overview of the many ways the Cancer Society has worked with citizen engagement. This includes funding research, supporting user participation, influencing policy, doing advocacy work, setting up patient user panels, running awareness campaigns and more. They have experimented with town hall meetings across Norway to put a focus on the patient journey from hospital to municipality.

“Grand challenges require big enthusiastic engagement from citizens and patients to create change. Patients and citizens should be at the core of any activity. WHO defines citizen engagement as a deliberate form of public participation to inform effective policy making. At the Norwegian Cancer Society, this is really important to us, as we say ‘No decision about me, without me’,” commented Bjerke.

A woman seated at a table engages in a discussion, gesturing with her hands for emphasis. The table is equipped with laptops, coffee cups, and glasses of water. Behind her, a "Kreftforeningens Vitensenter" podium is visible, along with a red stage area and a backdrop featuring the words "stopper spredning" (likely part of a slogan). The setting includes modern office furniture and decor, with a plant and a purple chair in the background, suggesting a professional and collaborative environment.
Astrid Bjerke, strategic advisor at the Norwegian Cancer Society, organised the second day on patient participation and citizen engagement. Photo: Jorunn Valle Nilsen / Kreftforeningen

This was followed by a lively discussion among the participants on what is meant by patient and citizen engagement, where to draw on expertise, and how to take it to the next level.

A group of four people seated at a table engage in a discussion, with one man gesturing as he speaks. Laptops, notebooks, and coffee cups are placed on the table, indicating a collaborative workspace. The setting features large windows in the background, revealing a view of an urban street with buildings and traffic. A plant adds a touch of greenery to the indoor environment, and a hashtag "#spredning" is visible on a wall, suggesting a campaign or event theme related to spreading ideas or information.
Lively group discussions on patient participation and citizen engagement at the Norwegian Cancer Society. Photo: Jorunn Valle Nilsen / Kreftforeningen
A small group of six individuals seated in a circular formation on cushioned stools around a bright orange table. The participants, both men and women, are engaged in a focused conversation, with coffee cups and a paper on the table. The setting features a modern and informal environment with concrete flooring and a digital screen in the background displaying text and graphics. A hashtag "#spredning" is visible, emphasizing the theme of spreading or sharing ideas. The arrangement suggests a collaborative workshop or brainstorming session.
The individual hubs had the opportunity to brainstorm strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to their hubs. Photo: Jorunn Valle Nilsen / Kreftforeningen

Stine Bergliot Høibakk Nilsen, Public Affairs Manager at the Norwegian Cancer Society, presented more about the organisation’s work on patient participation. Finally, Ole Alexander Opdalshei introduced how the Cancer Society involves patients in research projects.

Funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme. Grant Agreement Nº: 101104587.

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.

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