Youth Cancer Europe – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in Cancer Care Stakeholder Forum 2025

On June 17, 2025, the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) in Cancer Care Stakeholder Forum brought together patient advocates, policy makers, researchers and representatives of many EU funded projects in Brussels.

Organized by Youth Cancer Europe (YCE), the event highlighted critical challenges and innovative solutions in achieving equitable and inclusive cancer care across Europe.

Katie Rizvi from YCE and Annika Nowak from DG RTD opened the forum, welcoming all collaborators and guests. Discussions covered a broad spectrum of vital topics, reflecting the multidimensional nature of cancer care inequities.

MEP Katrin Langensiepen started the discussion with insights about policy-level gaps while offering possible actions towards lasting solutions.

“Katie Rizvi, Annika Nowak (DG RTD), MEP Katrin Langensiepen and Stefan Schreck (EU Health and Food Safety) kicked off the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Cancer Care Stakeholder Forum in Brussels today, focusing on socioeconomic status, migrant and refugee populations, and people living with disability and neurodiversity within cancer care, with the participation of an impressive 15 EU-funded projects and 26 European and international organisations.
Hosted by Youth Cancer Europe and the European Network of Youth Cancer Survivors project, this event attracted the best minds in research, cancer care and patient representation to share best practice examples and tackle ongoing challenges in addressing inequity in cancer care in Europe.” – Youth Cancer Europe wrote on LinkedIn.

The morning session addressed disability and neurodiversity underscoring necessity of integrating neurodiverse perspectives into healthcare planning and delivery, including affected individuals in healthcare facilities’ personnel for a more tailored decision-making process.

Subsequent discussions tackled cancer care barriers among migrants and refugees emphasizing the importance of culturally sensitive approaches and targeted interventions to overcome social inequalities. In detail discussion ended in unequivocal agreement – right to be healthy is not conditional. 

During the socioeconomic session presenters discussed data-driven strategies for addressing disparities in cancer outcomes linked to socioeconomic status, income-level and healthcare literacy. Emphasis was placed on robust, accessible communication of complex data to policymakers and the public.

The afternoon featured critical dialogue on LGBTQI+ cancer care.  Advocacy for inclusive clinical environments stressed that personalized patient care must acknowledge diverse identities and lived experiences. The necessity of inclusivity in clinical trials and quality-of-life measurements for LGBTQI+ individuals was one of the successful projects highlighted by the EORTC.

Clinical trials and research discussions focused on the essential need for inclusive patient recruitment practices. They shared practical strategies aimed at increasing representation of underrepresented communities, enhancing both scientific validity and ethical standards of research, while making sure the opposite process – explaining patients why exclusion criteria in clinical trials is valid and beneficial for the patient in many cases.

The forum concluded with dynamic working group sessions facilitated by representatives from:

• European Cancer Organisation (ECO)
• European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS)
• Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL)
• World Health Organization Youth Council (WHO Youth Council)
• CEIPES ETS
• Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB)
• The Portuguese Cancer League (LIGA)

Read further about YCE EDI and the Forum.