Europe charts an ambitious roadmap for the next five years as a European Network of National Cancer Mission Hubs takes shape

• After supporting the establishment of 17 National Cancer Mission Hubs, the EU project ECHoS starts an ambitious second phase to further expand its network.
• WECAN Foundation, as an active partner in the Consortium, will be present at the Kick-off Meeting in Lisbon this September.
• Backed by €15 million from the Horizon Europe Mission on Cancer, ECHoS brings together 61 organisations across 30 countries to strengthen collaboration and accelerate progress across Europe, at the national, regional and local levels.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 1^st September

In 2019, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen identified cancer as one of Europe’s major societal challenges, placing the fight against it high on the European political agenda. This commitment was backed by a €4 billion financial envelope distributed through diverse funding mechanisms, including the EU Mission on Cancer.

The EU Mission on Cancer established a goal to improve the lives of more than 3 million people affected by cancer by 2030 through the implementation of 13 bold recommendations spanning from understanding cancer to early detection and screening, diagnosis and treatment as well as survivorship and quality of life beyond cancer.

To support the implementation of the EU Mission on Cancer at the National, Regional and Local levels, countries were challenged to create structures that act at the heart of the communities. These structures, National Cancer Mission Hubs (NCMHs), are being established under the scope of the project ECHoS – Establishing of Cancer Mission Hubs: Networks and Synergies – coordinated by the Portuguese Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB, Portugal).

The next phase begins in Lisbon

The Kick-off meeting, taking place in Lisbon from 9 to 11 September 2026, marks the first major milestone of the second phase of ECHoS. This gathering will celebrate the main achievements from phase one, such as the 17 recognised NCMHs in Europe, while setting the stage for the next five years of the Network. Together with Consortium partners, this event brings together representatives from the European Commission and other distinguished international organisations in the health sector. The wider public is also invited to attend the public session on 10 September, which will be livestreamed on ECHoS YouTube channel.

From foundations to a lasting EU network

Bringing together 61 organisations from 30 countries, ECHoS supports collaboration among patients, researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, civil society and industry. In the words of Anabela Isidro and Hugo Soares, Coordinators of the project, “ECHoS and NCMHs provide countries with an opportunity for citizens, patients, researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers and the wider stakeholder community to connect. Bringing these voices closer together helps find new ways of working and enhance the quality of cancer research, care and policies across Europe.”

As Alex Filicevas, Chair of WECAN Foundation, highlights,“For the EU Mission on Cancer to deliver meaningful change, people affected by cancer must be actively involved in shaping how its ambitions are translated into action. Through ECHoS, WECAN looks forward to bringing the collective experience and expertise of the European cancer patient community into this process, helping ensure that National Cancer Mission Hubs are built around the needs and priorities of patients and communities across Europe.”

The next five years will give this project the tools and opportunities to grow. Through an ambitious set of initiatives, including a training program, demonstration initiatives and peer learning, ECHoS will support the role of NCMHs in transforming EU policies into impactful actions on cancer, for the benefit of citizens and society. By bringing countries and different parts of the cancer community closer together, the project aims to create a lasting foundation for more coordinated action across Europe.

Cancer remains one of Europe’s most pressing public health challenges. By supporting the development of National Cancer Mission Hubs and fostering collaboration, ECHoS contributes to the long-term objectives of the EU Mission on Cancer and Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. More about ECHoS.

About WECAN Foundation

WECAN Foundation – Workgroup of European Cancer Patient Advocacy Networks – is a pan-European network bringing together cancer patient umbrella organisations across cancer types. WECAN strengthens the capacity and collaboration of its members and amplifies the collective voice of the European cancer patient community to drive meaningful change in cancer policy, research and education. Through patient-led evidence, advocacy, capacity building and collaboration with stakeholders across the cancer ecosystem, WECAN works to ensure that the needs, experiences and priorities of people affected by cancer are reflected in decisions that shape cancer research, care and policy across Europe.For more information, visit WECAN Foundation.

About AICIB – Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation:

The Portuguese Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation (AICIB) was created by a resolution of the Portuguese Council of Ministers in 2018 with the mission to promote, coordinate, and support activities in the areas of clinical research, translation, and biomedical innovation, contributing to the optimisation of Portugal’s clinical, scientific, and technological potential. It is a private entity with an associative and non-profit nature, with founding members including the FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology, I. P. (representative of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education), the INFARMED – National Medicines and Health Products Authority, I. P. (representative of the Ministry of Health), the APIFARMA – Portuguese Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry, and the HCP – Health Cluster Portugal.  For more information visit http://www.aicib.pt.

 

ECHoS acknowledges:

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.