Youth Cancer Europe has successfully engaged in patient advocacy on the highest levels in Europe – Katie Rizvi

Since publishing its 2018 White Paper on priorities identified by young people with cancer across Europe, YCE has successfully engaged in patient advocacy on the highest levels in Europe.
The remarkable journey took Youth Cancer Europe community members from the countries or the former Eastern Bloc and gained momentum, membership and representation on the way, quickly finding its voice to influence the EU Beating Cancer Plan published in 2021 and the European Parliament BECA committee report of the same year, with continued participation in EU stakeholder meetings with DG SANTE, regular debates with DG RTD and most recently in several EU projects where young people with lived experience contribute to research.
My presentation tomorrow at the Global Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Congress will highlight Youth Cancer Europe ‘s work on selected advocacy areas including “The Right to be Forgotten for Cancer Survivors“, the EU Cross Border Healthcare Directive, and a patient-led study on Fertility, including a qualitative piece to understand current attitudes and behaviours toward family planning, assisted reproduction, surrogacy and adoption in the AYA population in Europe; as well as a recent EU-wide partnership to support the needs of marginalised, minority and protected populations in the EU and to address intersectionality within cancer in a systematic way, also focusing on specifically European aspects such as the Ukraine war and challenges faced by refugees.
Participants will learn about YCE’s challenges in working across many countries and the patient community’s strategies for influencing health-policy and legislative changes EU-wide as well as on the local level across different healthcare systems, and what strategies have been established to support the needs of marginalised, minority and protected populations across the EU.
I’m excited and look forward to learning so much from the experts here and finding ways to collaborate to LEVEL UP AYA cancer care services across Europe.
🙏🏻 Thank you for the opportunity Teen Cancer America, Teenage Cancer Trust & Canteen Australia.

Source: Katie Rizvi/Linkedin