23 November 2024
Between the 16th and 17th of October 2024, the DESIPOC project kickoff meeting and an awareness event for the general public, students and professionals took place in Limassol Municipal Library in Cyprus.
The DESIPOC project is led by the BSiH Lab at the Cyprus University of Technology’s Department of Nursing and aims to develop and pilot a knowledge hub, virtual observatory and training system in participating countries as proof-of-concept that will collect, organize, and disseminate knowledge, best practices, and resources related to stakeholders’ strategies used and needs towards psychosocial oncology care provision with an emphasis on advancing screening efficacy for mental health challenges, communication, knowledge, skills whilst recognizing and tackling systemic barriers and facilitators for providing care to patients, carers, families and healthcare professionals. The project is co-funded by the EU4Health programme [Project Number: 101161339] and runs from 2024 until 2026.
The awareness event on the 16th October started with greetings from co-organisers CUT, Cyprus Nursing and Midwives Association, Cyprus Association of Cancer Patients and Friends (PASYKAF) and thr Center for Social Innovation (CSI).
The importance and aims of the DESIPOC project were then outlined, followed by the presentation of another EU4Health funded project led by CUT, namely TRANSITION. Then, the first session focused on leveraging technology to optimize care in cancer patients including a systematic review examining the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality on reducing distress on children and adolescents undergoing chemotherapy treatment, the eCAN project by the CUT eHealth Lab which aims to explore the role and effectiveness of telemedicine in cancer patients and lessons learned from the implementation of eHealth in cancer care through the Gatekeeper project by PASYKAF.
The second session explored the provision of support to patients with cancer and their families including the importance of coordinated care, using a patient-centered approach, inclusion of family in decision-making and hospice care, the existing studies on the most effective psycho-oncology interventions with challenges highlighted and a comprehensive home care in elderly people and opportunities and actions from the European Cancer Organisation. Presentations were made by partners of the DESIPOC project: Lithuanian School of Health Sciences, Adiper, European Cancer Organisation and MERIC.
A roundtable followed with local stakeholders on the provision of psychological care to cancer patients and their families and importance of integrating it in the system and governmental support.
The Kickoff meeting finished on the 17th October with all partners reassuring their determination to optimise the provision of quality psychosocial oncology care in Europe to benefit the quality of life of individuals with experience of cancer, their families and carers and the healthcare professionals involved.
