apa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre actively participated in the 13th Panhellenic Oncology Nursing Symposium, held from 30 October to 1 November 2026 at the Montana Hotel in Karpenisi, Greece. Organised by the Oncology Nursing Section of the Hellenic Nurses Association (ESNE), the symposium brought together healthcare professionals under the theme “Leading Change, Creating Hope.”
Through presentations and a moderated discussion, Kapa3 contributed perspectives on the social and financial consequences of cancer, the role of patient navigation and the education healthcare professionals need to deliver accessible, person-centred care.
The financial burden of cancer on patients and families
Evangeli Bista, Co-founder of Kapa3 and PhD candidate in the Department of Nursing at the International Hellenic University, presented “The Financial Burden of Cancer on Patients and Their Families.” Her presentation formed part of the roundtable on access to healthcare services for people with cancer and the relationship between health, society and the economy.
The session was chaired by Ioanna Tsatsou and Maria Lavdaniti. Contributions from Georgios Manomenidis and Maria Lavdaniti addressed the social determinants of access and the role of nurses and multidisciplinary teams in reducing barriers to care.
Bista’s presentation explored the costs that accompany cancer beyond treatment itself: travel and accommodation, the need for an accompanying caregiver, absence from work, loss of income and additional care needs. It also examined how complex administrative procedures and fragmented information can make it harder to access rights and benefits, particularly for people living far from treatment centres.
Kapa3’s social navigation records and questions submitted to MYRTO illustrated practical support needs. The presentation emphasised the importance of recognising financial difficulties early and connecting patients and families with appropriate services.
Social navigation and MYRTO
Marilia Barka, a final-year psychology student and member of the Kapa3 team, presented the role of navigation in cancer care. Her contribution focused on connecting patients’ needs with available services, ensuring continuity of support and evaluating navigation interventions.
Kapa3 also presented MYRTO, its digital social assistant, developed with the support of the TIMA Charitable Foundation, MYRTO’s founding sponsor. The presentation generated positive interest in its potential to support navigation for healthcare professionals and people affected by cancer.
MYRTO helps people access understandable, source-based information about social rights, benefits and support services. Human oversight and referral to the Kapa3 team remain central to this approach.
The initiative forms part of Kapa3’s wider work on health literacy and barriers to support. Questions submitted to the assistant provide insight into information and navigation needs; assessing its effect on financial burden requires further evaluation.
Healthcare professionals’ educational needs: putting knowledge into practice
Evangeli Bista also moderated the discussion “Healthcare Professionals’ Educational Needs: A Critical Issue for Contemporary Cancer Care.”
Participants included Ourania Govina, Theocharis Konstantinidis, Giorgos Kapetanakis, Theodora Kappou, Maria Lavdaniti, Aikaterini Manousou, Aikaterini Papadimitriou and Dimitrios Papageorgiou, bringing different scientific and professional perspectives to the discussion.
The session explored how professionals move from acquiring knowledge to understanding, retaining and applying it in practice. Communication, patient experience, multidisciplinary collaboration and digital skills were considered alongside the organisational conditions that enable professionals to use what they learn.
The discussion also addressed critical appraisal in the age of artificial intelligence. Asking meaningful questions, evaluating answers and applying knowledge responsibly are essential capabilities in contemporary healthcare.
Across these contributions, Kapa3 highlighted a shared principle: information becomes valuable when people can understand it, access it and use it in everyday life.
Acknowledgements
Kapa3 thanks the Hellenic Nurses Association and its Oncology Nursing Section for the invitation and trust, the session chairs and speakers for their contributions, and everyone who enriched the discussions with questions and experiences.
We also thank the Kapa3 team and our partners, the TIMA Charitable Foundation for supporting MYRTO, and Anthi Moulianiti-Kontokosta for her valued personal contribution to connecting knowledge with a shared vision for care.
About Kapa3
Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre is a Greek nonprofit organisation supporting people affected by cancer and their families through information, social navigation and connections to support services. Its work focuses on social rights, health literacy and equitable access to support.
Learn more: www.kapa3.gr