Supporting Cancer Patients at Home: The Power of Partnerships in Integrated Care — Doctorhomie & Kapa3

The experience of cancer is not confined to the hours spent at a medical appointment, receiving treatment or being admitted to hospital. A large part of the patient’s actual cancer journey unfolds at home: where symptoms and side effects are managed, medications and appointments are organised, information is sought, work and family life need to continue and, very often, a relative or friend takes on the role of caregiver.

This is why today’s discussion about the quality of cancer care cannot stop at the hospital door.

International literature is increasingly moving towards models of integrated, person-centred and multidisciplinary care, in which health is connected with everyday life, the family, the social environment and the wider community [1,2].

A recent review of health and social care models across the Mediterranean highlights several key elements: a holistic approach, collaboration among professionals, individual empowerment and stronger connections between healthcare services, social care and support at home.

When Home Becomes Part of the Care Pathway

For a person living with cancer, needs cannot easily be divided into “medical” and “social”.

On the same day, someone may need guidance on managing a side effect, assistance with an administrative procedure, information about a benefit or entitlement, psychological support, or access to a professional who can provide care at home.

Cancer also affects employment and financial life. In a population-based study of women with breast cancer, the burden of treatment was associated with significant absence from work and, in some cases, withdrawal from employment altogether, while access to paid sick leave and flexible working arrangements appeared to have a protective effect [3].

The need for integrated support is therefore not an abstract concept. It concerns a person’s ability to continue their life as safely and independently as possible.

What Kapa3’s Everyday Experience Tells Us

Data from Kapa3 – Cancer Patient Guidance Centre reflect this complexity within the Greek context.

Between 27 January and 30 July 2026, Kapa3 recorded 1,251 telephone contacts — 614 incoming and 637 outgoing calls — as well as 497 emails sent to beneficiaries.

Through email-based counselling interventions, 241 people submitted more than 300 requests, covering 52 different categories of need.

Exemptions and social benefits represented the largest category, followed by disability certification through KEPA, the Greek Disability Certification Centres, as well as matters relating to pensions, appeals, healthcare coverage and transportation.

At the same time, requests also concerned palliative care, psychological support, private-duty nursing, hospital beds, personal assistants, home-help services, rehabilitation centres and caregiver leave.

These data remind us of something fundamental:

A person with cancer does not simply need more information. They need support in understanding which information applies to their own situation and what the appropriate next step should be.

Caregivers Cannot Remain “Invisible”

Scientific evidence is particularly clear regarding the burden experienced by family caregivers.

Caregivers are often required to organise appointments, transportation and medication, assist with everyday and sometimes even clinical needs, while at the same time providing continuous emotional support [4].

This burden can significantly affect mental health and quality of life. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have reported high levels of depressive symptoms, anxiety and psychological distress among family caregivers [5–7].

In advanced cancer, existential distress, anticipatory grief, loneliness and death anxiety have also been described [8]. These rates should always be interpreted as findings from screening assessments and not automatically as clinical diagnoses.

At the same time, social support appears to have a protective effect. A recent umbrella review associated higher levels of perceived social support with reduced caregiver burden and better psychological well-being [9].

This is why contemporary dyadic interventions increasingly view the patient and caregiver as an interconnected system rather than as two independent individuals [10].

Integrated patient care is therefore difficult to achieve when the person providing care remains without adequate information, education and support.

From Information to Navigation

This is where patient navigation plays a critical role.

Patient navigation was developed specifically to reduce barriers, facilitate coordination and support continuity throughout the cancer care pathway. A recent systematic review highlights the contribution of patient navigation programmes in addressing practical and organisational barriers during cancer treatment [11].

This is also the principle on which the Kapa3 model has been developed:

not to create yet another isolated service, but to help people connect with the services and resources that already exist.

A patient should not be expected to know in advance whether their question belongs to KEPA, a social service, a healthcare professional, a psychological support service or a home-care provider.

What they need is a trusted point from which to begin.

Myrto: When Technology Supports Navigation

It is precisely this need that has also led to the development of Myrto, Kapa3’s digital assistant.

Its philosophy is not to replace professionals, nor to turn a complex human journey into an impersonal digital process.

The goal is to create an accessible point of reference where people can express their needs and be guided towards appropriate, evidence-based information and the next relevant step.

Digital health can offer significant advantages: remote access to support, flexibility, easier access to information, personalisation and better coordination [12,13].

Among caregivers of people with cancer, eHealth interventions have also been studied as tools that may support self-management, provide assistance and help reduce caregiver burden.

However, technology does not automatically create equality.

Age, limited digital health literacy, sensory or functional limitations and difficulties in accessing technology can create new forms of digital exclusion [14].

This is why the real question is not “digital or human?”

What is needed is a hybrid model, in which technology reduces distance while human support remains available whenever it is needed.

The Strength of the Kapa3–Doctorhomie Partnership

Within this framework, the collaboration between Kapa3 and Doctorhomie, a digital platform for primary and home-based healthcare, takes on a very practical meaning.

The roles of the two organisations are different, yet complementary.

Kapa3 contributes through the identification of needs, reliable information, social guidance and patient navigation.

When an identified need concerns a healthcare service or professional care at home, the ability to connect with an organised home-care platform can become the next important link in the patient’s pathway.

The logic is simple:

identifying the need → reliable information → navigation → appropriate professional or service → support at home → continuity of care

Quality, after all, does not depend solely on whether a service is available.

Studies in primary care highlight reliability, responsiveness, safety and empathy as fundamental dimensions of the patient experience [15].

Building a Network Around the Person

Integrated cancer care does not mean that one organisation must provide everything.

It means that patients should not be left alone to discover who provides what and where they should turn next.

It also means recognising the caregiver, not underestimating the social and psychological dimensions of cancer, using technology to facilitate access rather than create exclusion, and enabling different organisations and professionals to work together around the real needs of each person.

Because the future of cancer care does not lie only in the personalisation of treatment.

It also lies in the personalisation of understanding, navigation and support.

And that care must be able to follow people wherever life continues:

at home, within the family and throughout everyday life.

Learn more about the Kapa3–Doctorhomie collaboration

The collaboration between Kapa3 and Doctorhomie aims to strengthen support for cancer patients and their families through information, research, innovation and improved connections with home-based care services.

Edited by: Evangeli Bista, PhD(c), MBA, MSc, BSc
Co-founder, Kapa3 / Head of Operations and Development

CANCER PATIENT GUIDANCE CENTRE – KAPA3
13 Kosti Palama Street, 11141 Athens, Greece – 3rd Floor
Tel.: +30 210 5221424
Mobile: +30 690 6265170 (09:00–17:00)
Email: info@kapa3.gr

References

Porcel-Gálvez AM, Allande-Cussó R, Mac Fadden I, Ferentinou E, Zafiropoulou M, Lima-Serrano M. Socio-Healthcare for Older People in the Mediterranean Basin: An Integrative Review and Quality Appraisal. Public Health Nursing. 2024. doi:10.1111/phn.13453.
Phillips JL, Currow DC. Cancer as a chronic disease. Collegian. 2010;17:47–50.
Jagsi R, Abrahamse PH, Lee KL, et al. Treatment Decisions and Employment of Breast Cancer Patients: Results of a Population-Based Survey. Cancer. 2017;123:4791–4799. doi:10.1002/cncr.30959.
National Cancer Institute. Support for Caregivers: When Someone You Love Is Being Treated for Cancer. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health.
Akter J, Konlan KD, Nesa M, Ispriantari A. Factors influencing cancer patients’ caregivers’ burden and quality of life: An integrative review. Heliyon. 2023;9(11):e21243.
Pan YC, Lin YS. Systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence of depression among caregivers of cancer patients. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2022;13:817936.
Bedaso A, Dejenu G, Duko B. Depression among caregivers of cancer patients: Updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Psycho-Oncology. 2022;31(11):1809–1820. doi:10.1002/pon.6045.
Walbaum C, Philipp R, Oechsle K, Ullrich A, Vehling S. Existential distress among family caregivers of patients with advanced cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psycho-Oncology. 2024;33(1):e6239.
Cipolletta S, et al. The Role of Social Support in the Experience of Informal Caregivers of Cancer Patients: An Umbrella Review. Psycho-Oncology. 2026. doi:10.1002/pon.70430.
Li L, Zhu C, Yan Q, Li J, Chen Y, Hu X. Effectiveness of dyadic interventions on quality of life for cancer patients and family caregivers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2025;34(8):3383–3405.
Chen M, Wu VS, Falk D, Cheatham C, Cullen J, Hoehn R. Patient Navigation in Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review. Current Oncology Reports. 2024;26(5):504–537. doi:10.1007/s11912-024-01514-9.
Σκανδαλάκη Ν, Κωνσταντινίδης Θ. Παρεμβάσεις ηλεκτρονικής υγείας για την υποστήριξη φροντιστών ογκολογικών ασθενών. Νοσηλευτική. 2024;63(1):17–26.
Li Y, Li J, Zhang Y, Ding Y, Hu X. The effectiveness of e-Health interventions on caregiver burden, depression, and quality of life in informal caregivers of patients with cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2022;127:104179.
Τσόλη Ε, Καυγά Α, Δρακοπούλου Μ, Γκοβίνα Ο, Καλεμικεράκης Ι. Η χρήση της ψηφιακής τεχνολογίας υγείας στους ηλικιωμένους. Αρχεία Ελληνικής Ιατρικής. 2024;41(4):477–484.
Αρμένη ΜΑ, Καυγά Α, Γκοβίνα Ο, Καλεμικεράκης Ι. Αξιολόγηση της ποιότητας των παρεχόμενων υπηρεσιών σε δομές πρωτοβάθμιας φροντίδας υγείας. Αρχεία Ελληνικής Ιατρικής. 2024;41(1):115–121.
Darley A, Coughlan B, Furlong E. People with cancer and their family caregivers’ personal experience of using supportive eHealth technology: A narrative review. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. 2021;54:102030.
Verma R, Saldanha C, Ellis U, Sattar S, Haase KR. eHealth literacy among older adults living with cancer and their caregivers: A scoping review. Journal of Geriatric Oncology. 2022;13:555–562.
Schiess LC, Song LL, Schädelin S, et al. Nonpharmacologic interventions for managing distress, anxiety, and depression for patients with cancer and their family caregivers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2026;76(2):e70076. doi:10.3322/caac.70076.
Su H, Tam KI, Li Y. Factors associated with death anxiety in family caregivers of cancer patients: A systematic review. BMC Palliative Care. 2026;25:175.
Νικολούδη ΜΕ. Ελληνική εκδοχή του δείκτη ελπίδας Herth σε ογκολογικούς ασθενείς: Ψυχομετρική ανάλυση και μελέτη περίπτωσης. Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών, 2020.

Κapa3 at IEEE CBMS 2026 | AI for Equitable Oncology Information

Kapa3 at IEEE CBMS 2026: Artificial Intelligence in Support of Equitable Patient Information in Oncology Care

New scientific publication in the Proceedings of the 39th IEEE International Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems

The voice and lived experience of patients must remain at the centre of the emerging era of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare.

Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre contributes to a new scientific publication presented in the Proceedings of the 2026 IEEE 39th International Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems (CBMS), focusing on how Artificial Intelligence and Retrieval-Augmented Generation can support more equitable, reliable and patient-centred access to information in oncology.

The paper, entitled:

“Informed, Empowered, and Heard: AI and Retrieval-Augmented Generation as Tools for Equitable Patient Information in Oncology”

is authored by Lars Münter, Evangeli Bista, Maria Lavdaniti and Christos Frantzidis, with Evangeli Bista representing Kapa3 as Co-founder.

From access to information to meaningful patient empowerment

A cancer diagnosis creates an immediate need for information that is reliable, understandable and relevant to the individual patient.

At the same time, patients and their families are often expected to understand complex medical terminology, treatment options, prognosis discussions and administrative procedures at a moment of intense psychological and emotional pressure.

The paper highlights that acute stress associated with a serious diagnosis can affect working memory, attention and the ability to process new information. This means that patient information cannot be designed for an ideal, fully attentive reader; it must respond to the real cognitive and emotional conditions experienced by people facing cancer.

The key question is therefore not simply:

“How much information do we provide?”

but rather:

“Are we providing the right information, at the right time, in a form that people can understand and act upon?”

AI and Retrieval-Augmented Generation: towards trustworthy and evidence-grounded information

The publication places particular emphasis on Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).

RAG architectures combine the generative capabilities of large language models with the retrieval of information from curated and verified knowledge sources. In a healthcare setting, this can include clinical guidelines, validated patient information resources, regulatory documents and peer-reviewed literature.

This approach offers an important advantage over purely generative AI systems: responses can be grounded in identifiable sources, supporting greater transparency and enabling patients and healthcare professionals to verify where information comes from.

In oncology, this is especially important.

A patient does not simply need a quick answer. They need information that is:

accurate, current, understandable, accessible and appropriate to their individual situation.

Artificial Intelligence as a tool for equity

One of the central themes of the paper is inequality in access to high-quality oncology information.

Geography, language, socioeconomic circumstances, health literacy, digital literacy and access to specialised healthcare services can significantly influence a person’s ability to understand their diagnosis, treatment options and rights.

The publication pays particular attention to the Greek context, where patients living in large urban centres may experience a very different information environment from those living in rural, remote or island communities.

When equity is treated as a core design principle, AI-RAG systems can potentially support:

multilingual access to health information,
different levels of language and information complexity,
voice-based interfaces,
shorter and more manageable units of information,
low-bandwidth or offline-capable solutions,
and opportunities for patients to return to information when they are ready to process it.

Technology alone, however, does not create equity.

The way technology is designed determines whether it reduces existing inequalities or reproduces them.

Designed with patients, for patient needs

The paper calls for an important shift in the way digital health systems are developed.

Many traditional health information systems are designed primarily around institutional or clinical workflows, with patient-facing communication added later.

For patient-centred AI, this logic must be reversed.

Systems should be designed with patients and around patient needs, with patients and informal carers actively involved in shaping the knowledge base, the questions the system is expected to answer and the ways information is presented.

This also means moving beyond systems that simply respond to individual questions.

A meaningful AI-supported information environment could help patients prepare for clinical consultations, organise their questions, understand the next steps in their care and become more aware of their rights.

The paper highlights applications such as consultation preparation guides, question prompts before appointments and post-consultation summaries as examples of how technology can support patients before, during and after important healthcare interactions.

AI should strengthen, not replace, human relationships

Perhaps the most important message of the publication is that the transformative potential of AI in oncology is not primarily technical. It is relational.

Artificial Intelligence should not create distance between patients and healthcare professionals.

It should help strengthen their communication.

A better-informed patient can arrive at a clinical consultation more prepared, identify questions and concerns more clearly, participate more actively in shared decision-making and communicate more effectively with the healthcare team.

The same applies to informal carers, who often carry a significant part of the informational and emotional burden of cancer care.

For this reason, the paper argues that AI-RAG systems should be designed to strengthen the relationship between patients, carers and healthcare professionals, rather than to replace any part of this human network of care.

For healthcare professionals, trustworthy information systems may also reduce the time required for basic information provision, allowing more of the clinical encounter to focus on nuanced discussions, decision-making and the human aspects of care that technology cannot replicate.

From information to trust

This scientific contribution adds to an increasingly important discussion about the future of healthcare:

How can Artificial Intelligence be developed and used in ways that genuinely respond to human needs?

The answer does not lie only in more powerful AI models or larger volumes of data.

It also lies in evidence, transparency, accessibility, co-design, equity and respect for patient rights.

As the paper concludes, people affected by cancer in Greece and across Europe deserve access to information that is accurate, personalised, accessible and respectful of their rights, regardless of where they live, the language they speak or the socioeconomic resources available to them.

For Kapa3, participating in this scientific discussion also reflects a broader commitment: ensuring that real patient needs, lived experience and equitable access are represented in the design and evaluation of the next generation of digital health and AI-supported tools.

Publication details

Title: Informed, Empowered, and Heard: AI and Retrieval-Augmented Generation as Tools for Equitable Patient Information in Oncology

Authors: Lars Münter, Evangeli Bista, Maria Lavdaniti, Christos Frantzidis

Published in: 2026 IEEE 39th International Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems (CBMS)

DOI: 10.1109/CBMS69103.2026.00302

find more 499901b523

Kapa3 joins PERIFORMANCE: From Information to Trust in Cancer Care

Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre is pleased to announce that its proposal, “From Information to Trust: MYRTO Patient & Citizen Lab for Equal Access in Cancer Care,” has been selected for funding under the PERIFORMANCE Open Call for Bottom-Up Stakeholder Engagement Initiatives in Cancer Research & Care.

The initiative places patients, caregivers, healthcare and social care professionals, civil society organisations and local communities at the heart of the process, creating a participatory framework for the ethical, trustworthy and inclusive use of AI-enabled cancer navigation.

Putting patients and citizens at the centre

The project is closely linked to MYRTO, Kapa3’s AI-enabled digital social assistant designed to support people affected by cancer in navigating health, social care, administrative procedures and rights-related information.

PERIFORMANCE funding will not support the core technical development of MYRTO. Instead, the project will focus on building the participatory, educational and ethical layer around the tool, ensuring that its future development is shaped by the real needs, experiences and expectations of the people who will use it.

This approach reflects a key principle for Kapa3: technology should not replace human care. When designed responsibly, however, it can become a powerful tool for improving access, empowerment and equality.

From local communities to a national dialogue

The engagement pathway will include regional listening activities, a thematic focus on vulnerable and underrepresented groups, and a central MYRTO Patient & Citizen Lab in Athens.

Particular attention will be given to caregivers, older patients, migrants, people with disabilities, people with low health or digital literacy, socially vulnerable groups and people living far from specialised oncology services.

The Athens Lab will be integrated into Kapa3’s national conference “Equality in Access”, creating a space for synthesising regional experiences, identifying trust criteria and collecting patient and caregiver perspectives on AI-supported navigation.

What does trust in AI-supported cancer navigation mean?

At the heart of the project lies a fundamental question:

What does a person need in order to trust a digital tool during one of the most sensitive periods of their life?

Through co-creation and stakeholder engagement, the initiative will explore issues such as:

reliability and clarity of information,
data protection and privacy,
accessibility and digital inclusion,
responsible use of Artificial Intelligence,
prevention of bias and exclusion,
human oversight,
and clear referral pathways to appropriate professionals when human support is needed.

Bringing together science, civil society and lived experience

Kapa3 will coordinate the initiative and lead its design, implementation, facilitation, patient and community outreach, dissemination and reporting.

The project will be supported by a multidisciplinary academic and scientific collaboration network involving the International Hellenic University – Department of Nursing, University of West Attica – Department of Occupational Therapy, Democritus University of Thrace – Department of Social Work, and University of the Peloponnese – Department of Nursing. simasiaAI will provide technical support for MYRTO-related digital materials and the AI navigation environment.

The project is expected to produce practical resources including a Patient Guidance Toolkit, a Trust & Human Escalation Checklist, a Training and Dissemination Package, and an Engagement & Trust Report.

From information to trust

For Kapa3, participation in PERIFORMANCE marks another step towards ensuring that the patient voice is present not only when new services and technologies are evaluated, but from the very beginning of their design.

With MYRTO, the question is no longer simply:

“How can we provide more information?”

It is increasingly:

“How can we turn information into understanding, trust, safety and real access?”

Because responsible digital health innovation begins with people.

Evangeli Bista Joins the PATH Expert Group as an Independent Expert: Bringing the Patient Perspective into the New Era of AI in Cancer Care

A new contribution to the European dialogue on safe, responsible and human-centred Artificial Intelligence in healthcare

Evangeli Bista, Co-founder and Head of Operations and Development of Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre, has been invited to join the Expert Group of the European research and innovation project PATH – Patient AI Treatment Hub as an independent expert.

Her participation is undertaken in a personal and independent capacity, with her professional affiliation to Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre, creating an opportunity to bring into the European dialogue experience gained through direct engagement with people affected by cancer, survivors, caregivers and healthcare professionals. The PATH Terms explicitly define Expert Group members as acting independently rather than as partners, employees, agents or subcontractors of the Consortium.

What is PATH – Patient AI Treatment Hub?

PATH – Patient AI Treatment Hub is a European research and innovation project focused on supporting the safe and effective integration of Artificial Intelligence into cancer care through the development of a secure, interoperable and privacy-preserving digital platform.

The project aims to explore how Artificial Intelligence tools can be safely integrated into cancer-care pathways, supporting healthcare professionals and contributing to more personalised approaches while safeguarding privacy and health data.

At the heart of this effort lies a critical question:

How can technological innovation create meaningful value for patients while preserving trust, human oversight, safety and equity?

Participation in the PATH Expert Group

As a member of the PATH Expert Group, Evangeli Bista will contribute independent expertise, opinions, input, comments and feedback in relation to selected project use cases and activities.

The experience developed through Kapa3’s work can contribute to discussions around issues such as:

patient-centred cancer care,
patient navigation across health and social-care systems,
equitable access to information and services,
health and digital literacy,
health and social rights,
responsible use and protection of health data,
transparency and human oversight in Artificial Intelligence systems,
meaningful involvement of patients and civil society in technology design,
and translating technological innovation into real value for people.

Why the Patient Voice Must Be Part of Innovation

Artificial Intelligence is creating new possibilities for healthcare and cancer care. At the same time, its growing use raises important questions concerning trust, transparency, safety, equitable access and human oversight.

For Kapa3, the development of a digital solution cannot begin solely with the question of what is technologically possible.

It must also ask:

What does the patient actually need?

Can people understand the information they receive?

Do they know where that information comes from?

Can they trust the system?

Is it clear when Artificial Intelligence is being used and when human professional judgement is required?

Could digital inequalities lead to new inequalities in healthcare?

And ultimately, does innovation genuinely improve the experience and pathway of a person facing cancer?

These are questions that we believe should remain at the centre of the European discussion on Artificial Intelligence in healthcare.

Kapa3’s experience in digital health

Evangeli Bista’s participation in the PATH Expert Group comes at a time when Kapa3 is systematically expanding its work in digital health, patient navigation and the responsible use of emerging technologies to support people affected by cancer.

This broader work also includes MYRTO – Digital Navigator for Health and Social Rights, an independent Kapa3 initiative developed to help transform complex and often fragmented information on rights, benefits and administrative procedures into more accessible, structured and evidence-based guidance for patients and caregivers.

MYRTO is not part of PATH, and the two initiatives are independent from one another.

However, the experience of developing patient-facing digital services has reinforced several principles that Kapa3 considers essential:

reliable information, transparent sources, understandable communication, data protection, human oversight and a clear pathway to professional support when technology alone is not enough.

This distinction is also important from an intellectual-property perspective, since the PATH Terms preserve intellectual property that exists independently of the Expert’s Services and is not incorporated into PATH Contributions.

From information to trust

Digital transformation in healthcare is not simply about more data, more algorithms or more applications.

It is about creating greater understanding, better access and stronger trust.

For a person facing cancer, information has value when it can be translated into a meaningful next step.

Technology has value when it reduces — rather than increases — complexity.

And Artificial Intelligence has value when it strengthens, rather than replaces, human care, professional judgement and the patient’s ability to participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their life and health.

A new opportunity to contribute to the European dialogue

For Kapa3, the invitation to Evangeli Bista to participate as an independent expert in the PATH Expert Group represents an important opportunity to bring into the European dialogue experience, needs and concerns emerging from the real-world context of cancer care and patient support.

The objective remains clear:

Artificial Intelligence in healthcare should advance with safety, transparency, responsibility, equitable access and meaningful involvement of the people it is designed to serve.

Because innovation creates real value when it is designed with people and for people.

PATH – Patient AI Treatment Hub | At a glance

Field: Artificial Intelligence and data in cancer care
Project: PATH – Patient AI Treatment Hub
Focus: Safe and effective integration of AI into cancer care through secure, interoperable and privacy-preserving approaches.
Expert Group: Independent external experts providing expertise, opinions, input, comments and feedback to the Project.
Independent Expert: Evangeli Bista
Professional role: Co-founder & Head of Operations and Development
Affiliation: Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre

Newsletter Kapa3| June 2026,From survivorship to quality of life — from information to support — from technology to human-centred care.

May was a month of important developments, scientific outreach and service enhancement for Kapa3. From the new European scientific publication of the MELODIC project and educational participation in international networks, to the development of “Myrto”, the creation of a new Psychological Support Team and support through social and corporate initiatives, Kapa3 continues to bring together knowledge, technology, human care and social action.

Our mission remains focused on equal access for cancer patients and their caregivers to information, rights, services and meaningful support.

1. June: Cancer Survivors Month

June is dedicated to people living with and beyond cancer. Survivorship is not only the end of treatment; it is continuity, adaptation, reintegration, psychosocial support, quality of life and the right to care beyond therapy.

▸ EN: https://www.kapa3.gr/en/june-cancer-survivors-month-title-sep-sitename/

2. Kapa3 Introduces Its New Psychological Support Team

On the occasion of Mental Health Awareness Month and Cancer Survivors Month, Kapa3 introduces its new Psychological Support Team: a safe space for listening, support and empowerment for patients, survivors, caregivers and families.

▸ CONTACT US https://www.kapa3.gr/en/kapa3-introduces-its-new-psychological-support-team/

3. New MELODIC Scientific Publication on the Mental Health of Young Adults with Cancer

Mental health is an integral part of cancer care, particularly for young adults facing the complex challenges of a cancer diagnosis. Kapa3 contributes to the new scientific publication of the European MELODIC project, highlighting the educational needs of healthcare professionals.

▸ READ THE ARTICLE

4. Digital Health and Cancer Survivorship: Kapa3 at the INE-CSC 2026 Conference in Coimbra

Kapa3 participated in the INE-CSC 2026 Conference in Coimbra, contributing to the European dialogue on cancer survivorship, supportive care, digital health and participatory solutions that respond to the real needs of patients and caregivers.

▸ READ THE ARTICL Ehttps://www.kapa3.gr/en/participation-in-ca21152-implementation-network-europe-for-cancer-survivorship-care/

5. Co-creating Myrto: A Digital Health and Rights Navigator for Oncology Patients

Myrto is designed as a digital health and rights navigator — a Patient Empowerment e-Navigator — that goes beyond information provision to guide, support and evolve according to users’ real needs.

▸ READ THE ARTICLE https://www.kapa3.gr/en/myrto-health-navigator-oncology-patients-greece/

6. Learning by Doing: Participation in the European Service Learning 2.0: CoLab Programme

Kapa3 participated in the European programme Service Learning 2.0: CoLab, an initiative connecting academic knowledge with meaningful social action and highlighting collaboration between universities, civil society organisations and community actors.

▸ FIND OUT MOREhttps://www.kapa3.gr/en/learning-by-doing-participation-in-the-european-service-learning-2-0-colab-programme/

7. Alpha Bank and Its Employees Support Kapa3 through the Match for Good Initiative

Through the Match for Good initiative, Alpha Bank and its employees supported Kapa3, strengthening our mission to stand alongside people affected by cancer, their families and caregivers.

▸ FIND OUT MORE https://www.kapa3.gr/en/i-alpha-bank-kai-oi-ergazomenoi-tis-stirizoyn-to-kapa3-kai-tin-isotimi-prosvasi-stin-ypostirixi-ton-ogkologikon-asthenon/

8. 6 Awards for Kapa3 at the 4th Vouliagmeni Summer Crossing: Is There Such a Thing as a “Lonely Race”?

Kapa3 took part in the 4th Vouliagmeni Summer Crossing, sharing a strong message of participation, resilience, empowerment and solidarity. Even when a race seems individual, it does not have to be lonely.

Newsletter closing note

If this newsletter reached you through forwarding or another source, subscribe today to receive reliable updates, news and useful information directly in your inbox.

Support our work and help us continue to provide information, guidance and support to patients and their families.

▸ SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER

▸ SUPPORT US

Participation in CA21152 – Implementation Network Europe for Cancer Survivorship Care

Digital Health and Cancer Survivorship: Kapa3 at the INE-CSC 2026 Conference in Coimbra

The Cancer Guidance Center – Kapa3 participated in the INE-CSC 2026 Conference, part of CA21152 – Implementation Network Europe for Cancer Survivorship Care (INE-CSC), held on 25–26 May 2026 at the Faculty of Medicine (Polo III), University of Coimbra, in Coimbra, Portugal.

The conference was held under the theme “The Next Chapter – Empowering Individuals, Families, and Society for Cancer Survivorship & Supportive Care”, highlighting the need for new approaches to cancer survivorship, supportive care and the translation of innovation into real-world impact for people living with and beyond cancer, their families and society.

Kapa3’s presence in Coimbra represents another important step in its European engagement and in its ongoing effort to connect everyday experience in supporting cancer patients in Greece with European knowledge, research, digital innovation and health policy.

A key highlight was the participation in a round table discussion on facilitators and barriers to the implementation of digital health tools in oncology. The discussion was co-organised by Aristea Kyriaki Ladas and Christos Frantzidis and brought together voices from different European countries and organisations, including representatives from Kapa3, Acreditar Portugal, Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro, ORCO / Madrid Regional Ministry of Health, as well as participants from Poland, Latvia and the United Kingdom.

Among the participants in the round table were Yannis Kontogiorgis and Despoina Pistiolis from Kapa3, Greece, contributing to the European dialogue on digital health, oncology navigation and the participatory development of solutions that respond to the real needs of patients and caregivers.

One of the key messages of the discussion was that digital innovation in oncology is not only a technological challenge. It is also a matter of policy, implementation, equity, trust and accessibility.

For digital tools to make a meaningful difference in cancer care and survivorship, they cannot remain isolated applications or pilot projects. They need to become part of real care pathways, be supported by appropriate policy environments, connect with interdisciplinary practice and be evaluated in terms of effectiveness, implementation readiness, accessibility, equity, sustainability and value.

The discussion also highlighted that digital tools must be designed around the real needs of patients and survivors, not only around technical possibilities. Accessibility across countries, languages, healthcare systems and levels of digital and health literacy must be built in from the beginning.

The role of patient organisations and cancer support communities was also identified as essential. These organisations can act as a bridge between technological innovation and the everyday reality of people affected by cancer. They understand the questions, barriers, fears and needs that are often not fully captured by formal care systems.

For Kapa3, this participation is directly linked to the development of Myrto, its digital health and rights navigator, designed as a tool for empowerment, guidance and support for cancer patients and their caregivers.

Myrto is not approached as a simple information tool. It is being designed as a participatory intervention built around the real needs of people with lived experience of cancer. It is connected to access to rights, social benefits, services, practical guidance and human escalation whenever needed.

The Coimbra experience strengthened the view that digital health must be human-centred, accessible, trustworthy and integrated into a broader ecosystem of care. Technology can meaningfully support cancer care only when it is designed with participation, trust, clear purpose and an equity-oriented approach.

Cancer survivorship is not only about completing treatment. It is about quality of life, mental health, social reintegration, work, family, everyday life, access to services and the feeling that no person is left alone after diagnosis or treatment.

Through its participation in European networks such as INE-CSC, Kapa3 continues to contribute to the dialogue on more equitable, participatory and person-centred cancer care. Care that uses technology without losing sight of the human being at its centre.

The future of cancer support will not depend only on better digital tools, but on better collaboration between patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, technology partners, patient organisations and policymakers.

For Kapa3, this is at the heart of its mission: transforming knowledge into action, technology into support, and the voice of patients into services that respond to their real needs.

More information: INE-CSC – Implementation Network Europe for Cancer Survivorship Care.More information:
https://inecancersurvivorship.com

Kapa3 announces collaboration with SimasiaAI for the development of the Health Navigator “Myrto” (Myrto AI Assistant)

The Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Center announces its collaboration with SimasiaAI, for the co-development of the Health Navigator “Myrto” (Myrto AI Assistant), an artificial intelligence (AI chatbot) designed to enhance digital cancer support for patients with cancer and their families through immediate, reliable, and personalized information.

This initiative is part of Kapa3’s strategic focus on leveraging innovative digital tools to improve access to information, strengthen guidance, and reduce the digital gap often faced by vulnerable groups in the healthcare sector.

The Health Navigator “Myrto” is not just an information tool, but a new form of social artificial intelligence in cancer care support in Greece. It is designed to transform digital information into a more human, accessible, and meaningful experience, allowing users to interact, receive guidance, and access support tailored to their needs.

Through its dual role as a “Patient Empowerment e-Navigator”, the system will function both as a Patient Advocate—providing guidance on patient rights, benefits, and access to healthcare and social services—and as a Health Navigator, offering reliable information to support better understanding and self-management of health-related issues.

At the same time, the Health Navigator “Myrto” aims to enhance health literacy, support the psychosocial dimension of the disease, and highlight available community resources, contributing to the reduction of inequalities in access to information.

Kapa3, with its long-standing experience in guiding and supporting cancer patients, continues to invest in initiatives that promote equal access to information and digital empowerment, utilizing technology with a strong social and human-centered approach.

The collaboration between Kapa3 and SimasiaAI leads to the development and integration of the Health Navigator “Myrto” into Kapa3’s platform, highlighting the importance of cooperation between social organizations and technology providers in creating innovative digital support tools for cancer patients. Through this initiative, the goal is to meaningfully empower patients, support healthcare professionals, and advance more human-centered digital services.

The development of the Health Navigator “Myrto” marks an important step toward a new model of digital care, where artificial intelligence complements human support, enhancing the quality of life of patients and their families.

The Founding Sponsor of the “Myrto”Health Navigator is the TIMA Foundation.

Our Press Release text here: PRESS RELEASE SIMASIA AI

Text: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3

Kapa3 at the “Facing the Challenge of Artificial Intelligence” Event

On March 11, 2026, Kapa3 co-founder Evangeli Bista and the organization’s collaborator, Christos Frantzidis, senior lecturer at the School of Computer Science, University of Lincoln, attended with keen interest the event “Facing the Challenge of Artificial Intelligence”, organized by diaNEOsis at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center Lighthouse, marking 10 years of the organization’s work.

The event highlighted, through presentations and discussions, key topics regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI), including: what AI is and the concerns it raises, social impacts and inequalities it may create, ethical and responsible use, effects on work and productivity, and the challenges in legislation and technology regulation.

As Evangeli Bista noted on her social media, AI remains a field full of questions:

What exactly is Artificial Intelligence?
What concerns are emerging around it?

“Technology without thought can reinforce the greatest inequalities,” she emphasized, adding that the conversation on ethical and scientifically informed access to technology remains open. The event offered the chance to see “the next day… through the eyes of those who pioneered it,” such as Joseph Sifakis (Turing Award 2007) and Christos Papadimitriou.

Kapa3’s participation focused on observing, absorbing knowledge, and supporting dialogue around the challenges and opportunities of AI, with particular attention to the social dimension and the inequalities it may create.

By attending this event, Kapa3 continues to demonstrate its commitment to technological developments, the importance of informed and responsible discussion, and understanding the social and ethical implications of Artificial Intelligence.

Kapa3 Participation in the 3rd “Mapping the Unknown in Oncology” Conference

Kapa3 actively participated in the conference “Mapping the Unknown in Oncology – From Hospitals to Homes, mapping the future of oncology care”, organized for its third year by the Medical Society for Research and Education under the auspices of HeSMO (Hellenic Society of Medical Oncologists) and the Hellenic Cancer Society, held on February 27–28, 2026 at the Golden Age Hotel in Athens.

During the events on Saturday, February 28, Ms. Evangelí Bista, Head of Operations and Development at the Kapa3 Cancer Patient Guidance Center, took part in the panel titled “e-Health Tools and Educational Platforms: New Paths for Doctors and Patients.” The panel was moderated by Ms. Z. Saridaki and included panelists G. Koukourakis, S. Peroukidis, F. Tyligadas, and Ch. Christodoulou.

In her presentation, titled “Digital Patient Education: The Patient as an Active Partner,” Ms. Bista highlighted the importance of digital transformation in healthcare, which shifts care from episodic to continuous support, moving healthcare from hospitals into patients’ daily lives and empowering patients to become active participants in managing their health.

In this context, Kapa3 announced that for 2026 it will be the only civil society organization fully integrating AI, cybersecurity, and high-performance computing into its processes and services, implementing:

An AI-powered digital assistant (chatbot) for immediate patient guidance and support
A voice-command system for website accessibility and text-to-speech conversion
Service redesign, simplifying processes and reducing bureaucracy
An AI-based recommendation system with usage data analysis to personalize services

Special emphasis was placed on patient navigation, as oncology patients need guidance: where to go, what they are entitled to, when to be concerned, and when to wait. Kapa3 addresses this gap, providing not just information but meaningful, personalized guidance within the healthcare system.

The goal is not to add another service but to unite existing services. The next evolution of this model is Myrto, the digital assistant that serves as a reference point, translating knowledge into daily action.

Because the future of oncology is not only personalized treatment but also personalized understanding.

Kapa3’s participation underscores the organization’s commitment to innovation, collaboration, and ethics, demonstrating how technology can significantly enhance the experience and care of oncology patients.

Artificial Intelligence in Medicine: Why Horizontal Skills Are More Critical Than Ever

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming clinical decision-making, healthcare professional education, and overall care delivery. Yet a recent international review highlights a crucial point: as AI tools become more integral, horizontal skills (soft skills) such as empathy, communication, critical thinking, and ethical judgment are more important than ever.

These competencies enable healthcare professionals to interpret algorithmic outputs, maintain patient trust, ensure safe care, and integrate technology responsibly into clinical practice. Understanding and fostering these skills is essential for building a healthcare workforce that remains human-centered in an AI-driven era.

The review is authored solely by Effie Simou, Associate Professor of Communication and Media in Public Health at the University of West Attica, and examines the role of horizontal skills in the modern, technology-enhanced healthcare environment. By synthesizing international literature, it analyzes how professional responsibility, teamwork, cultural sensitivity, and ethical judgment impact care quality and safety in an era where artificial intelligence plays an ever more active role.

A “Skills Ecosystem” Rather Than a List of Competencies

The review does not treat these skills as isolated capabilities but as an interdependent ecosystem. Communication strengthens trust, empathy improves patient adherence, critical thinking acts as a counterbalance to uncritical acceptance of algorithmic recommendations, while professionalism and ethical vigilance ensure accountability.

The key argument is clear: technological progress does not make horizontal skills less important—it makes them essential. In an environment where algorithms support diagnosis, predict risks, or suggest treatment strategies, healthcare professionals are called upon to interpret, evaluate, and ultimately take responsibility for the decisions made.

Human Judgment Is Not Replaced. It Is Strengthened—and Tested.

Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and the Risks of Uncritical Trust in Technology

Particular emphasis is placed on the risks arising from excessive trust in AI systems. The so-called “automation bias” can lead to reduced critical vigilance, while the complexity of algorithms may hinder understanding of how their recommendations are generated.

Large language models and AI tools can also produce inaccurate or incomplete information persuasively. In a clinical setting, such misleading certainty can have serious consequences.

In this context, artificial intelligence in medicine cannot function autonomously; it requires active and critical human oversight. Critical thinking, transparency, and clear responsibility allocation become absolutely necessary. The final decision regarding patient care cannot be delegated to an algorithm. Responsibility remains human—a fundamental principle for the ethics of medical practice.

The Patient Relationship Dimension

Technology can enhance accuracy, accelerate processes, and support the management of large data volumes. However, it cannot replace the therapeutic relationship. Trust, clear communication, active listening, and recognition of patients’ emotional needs are elements that cannot be coded.

Especially in fields like oncology, where decisions are complex and the emotional burden high, the quality of communication can significantly influence treatment adherence, understanding of options, and overall care experience.

The review emphasizes that human presence is not supplementary to technology—it is the axis around which it must be organized.

Toward a Balanced Human–Algorithm Coexistence

The study’s conclusion is clear: health professional education must integrate both technological literacy and systematic development of horizontal skills. Knowing how an AI tool works is not enough; one must be able to critically evaluate it, explain its limitations, and integrate it responsibly into clinical practice.

In an era where algorithms are becoming increasingly “intelligent,” empathy, responsibility, and critical thinking are not secondary skills—they are the core of a medical practice that seeks to remain human, reliable, and safe.

Ultimately, the question is not whether artificial intelligence will be integrated into medicine—it already has been. The real challenge is under what terms it will coexist with the human factor. As technology advances at geometric speed, education must equally invest in skills that cannot be automated: the ability to listen, to question, and to take responsibility.

The challenge for artificial intelligence in medicine is not only technological but deeply pedagogical and ethical. Perhaps the greatest stake is not to create “smarter” systems but more conscious professionals. As algorithms evolve, so does the need for medicine to remain fundamentally human.

Source
The Growing Importance of Soft Skills in Medical Education in the AI Era, MDPI, 2024.
Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2813-141X/4/4/50

Text/adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3