Gdańsk, Poland I 15 September 2026

We are pleased to share that WECAN Academy 2026 proved to be another success this year. This flagship training event took place from 25–28 June 2026 in Gdańsk, Poland, bringing together patient advocates from across Europe.

This year’s Academy brought together more than 100 participants and faculty from 34 countries, united by a shared ambition: to strengthen patient advocacy and improve the lives of people affected by cancer.

Over four intensive days, participants explored topics ranging from evidence-based advocacy, healthcare systems, drug development, health economics, NGO governance, financial sustainability, AI for patient advocacy, volunteer management, scientific literacy, communications, patient-centred clinical trials, stakeholder engagement, and European health policy to access and the Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA).

But as always, the WECAN Academy is about much more than the programme.

It is about the conversations that continue long after the sessions end. It is about sharing experiences over coffee, solving challenges together during walks along the beach, celebrating achievements, asking difficult questions, and learning from one another’s stories. Behind every presentation, every policy discussion, and every research project are people, their experiences, and their determination to create change.

The Academy has become more than a training programme. It is a community where experienced advocates and emerging leaders learn side by side, challenge one another, build lasting friendships, and develop the confidence and skills needed to shape research, healthcare, and policy across Europe.

A heartfelt thank you to our outstanding faculty for generously sharing your expertise, to the Steering Committee and organising team for making every detail possible, and to every participant whose curiosity, openness, and enthusiasm made this Academy so special.

And to our sponsors whose support makes this Academy possible. We are looking forward to the next year’ Academy edition and will be happy to share more details soon.

And for now, please save the date:

WECAN Academy 2027 will take place from June 24^th to June 27^th, please, stay tuned!

To download the event’s report, please click the button.

Supporters

The WECAN Academy was hosted by the European Patient Advocacy Institute gUG on behalf of WECAN. Funding for the event was obtained from the following funders: