26th May 2026
Onth of 9 May 2026, the Behavioural Sciences in Health -BSiH Lab contributed to the public event “Family and Cancer: when the family is touched by cancer”, hosted at the German Medical Institute in Limassol. The event was co‑organised by the Cyprus Psychologists’ Association (CYPSA) and the German Medical Institute (GMI), bringing together mental health professionals, oncology clinicians, nurses and representatives of patient organisations to discuss how cancer affects the whole family and how services can better respond to these needs.
The keynote invited speaker was Prof Danae Papadatou, who opened the programme with a lecture on life stories and challenges for the family living through the cancer experience. In the subsequent panel session on the role of the multidisciplinary team and support to families, Dr Angelos Kassianos (Director, BSiH Lab) took part alongside other clinicians and psychosocial professionals, in a discussion facilitated by Ms. Zoi Mitrouska (GMI) and Dr Vasiliki Christodoulou (UCLAN, CYPSA).
Through the keynote and panel discussions, participants explored the emotional and practical challenges faced by families when a member is diagnosed with cancer, the role of multidisciplinary teams in recognising and supporting family needs, and the current services and gaps in psychosocial care for patients and relatives. BSiH Lab contributed insights from behavioural and health‑psychology research, highlighting the importance of participatory approaches, robust data and the collaborations needed between academia and clinicians.
This participation forms part of the Lab’s broader commitment to advancing psychosocial oncology and strengthening support for people living with cancer and their families.
