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

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

The Cancer Guidance Center – Kapa3 warmly thanks Alpha Bank and its employees for their meaningful support through the Match for Good initiative, through which Alpha Bank doubled the contribution of its employees.

Through this initiative, six non-profit organisations from across Greece received financial support during a special event held at Alpha Bank’s headquarters, in the presence of representatives of the organisations. The event was hosted by the Chairman of Alpha Bank’s Board of Directors, Mr. Dimitris Tsitsiragos, and the Chief Human Resources Officer, Ms. Fragiski Melissa.

Mr. Dimitris Tsitsiragos highlighted that the Match for Good initiative puts into practice Alpha Bank’s commitment to consistently support organisations that create a positive social impact. He underlined that when the individual contribution of employees is combined with the Bank’s support, it becomes a collective force with tangible results.

Ms. Fragiski Melissa noted that Match for Good reflects the Bank’s new culture in practice, giving employees an active role in selecting, participating in and supporting initiatives with social value.

Kapa3 was represented by Ms. Evangeli Bista, co-founder of the Organisation, and Ms. Despoina Chrysostomidou, collaborating psychologist. During the event, they had the opportunity to present Kapa3’s work and discuss the social impact that can be created when corporate responsibility meets the active participation of employees.

For all of us at Kapa3, this support is particularly meaningful. It strengthens our daily effort to stand beside people with lived experience of cancer, as well as their families and caregivers, offering guidance, information, support in accessing rights and services, and practical empowerment tools.

Kapa3 acts as a navigation and support organisation for cancer patients, bridging the gap between need and information, between rights and real access. For many people, especially those living outside major urban centres, the challenge is not only the disease itself. It is uncertainty, bureaucracy, lack of information about available rights, financial burden, transportation difficulties, psychosocial pressure and the need for a reliable companion.

Through initiatives like this, social contribution gains multiplying power and becomes real support for those who need it. The support of Alpha Bank and its employees strengthens Kapa3’s mission: ensuring that no person is left alone when facing cancer, searching for information, navigating procedures or claiming a right they are entitled to.

Health is not only a medical act. It is access, information, dignity, social care and meaningful presence. Every contribution to Kapa3 becomes more guidance, more information, more empowerment and more care for people and families going through a difficult and demanding journey.

We warmly thank Alpha Bank and its employees for their trust, choice and support of Kapa3’s work.

Because when giving becomes collective, it can meaningfully change people’s everyday lives.

20260310 Match For Good Programme Part2 Alpha Bank Via Solid Havas / Thalia Galanopoulou

Match for Good – Alpha Bank (1)

Health at a Glance 2025: What the Latest OECD Findings Reveal About Greece

The annual Health at a Glance 2025 report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) presents the most recent comparative indicators on population health and health system performance across member countries.
The report examines key dimensions such as population health status, access to and quality of care, health inequalities, health spending, and workforce trends.

Internationally, the data show a partial post-pandemic recovery, while highlighting persistent challenges:

Obesity continues to rise (affecting 54% of adults).
Around 3 million premature deaths under the age of 75 could have been prevented through better prevention and care.
Spending on prevention has dropped back to only 3% of total health expenditure after peaking during the pandemic.
Health expenditure remains high, averaging 9.3% of GDP across OECD countries.

Within this broader landscape, the findings for Greece are particularly significant.

Key Findings for Greece

Public satisfaction with health services: among the lowest in Europe

Across OECD countries, an average of 64% of citizens report being satisfied with the availability of high-quality health services.

In Greece, however, less than half of the population expresses satisfaction — one of the lowest rates among OECD members. Similar low levels are found in Italy, Hungary, Turkey, Chile, and Colombia.

Unmet medical needs: some of the highest inequalities

Across 28 OECD countries, only 3.4% of people on average reported unmet medical needs due to cost, distance, or waiting times.

In Greece, this figure reaches 12.1%, among the highest in the OECD.

Additional findings include:

Over 8% of the population in Greece, Canada, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia reports unmet medical needs.
Greece presents some of the largest socio-economic inequalities in access.
Among people in the lowest income quintile in Greece, one in six does not receive the medical care they need.
Cost is the biggest barrier to accessing care.

Health spending and out-of-pocket payments: heavy burden on households

Across OECD countries, out-of-pocket payments account for roughly 20% of all health expenditure.

In Greece, households cover more than one-third of total health spending — among the highest levels internationally, alongside Mexico, Chile, and Latvia.

Remuneration of health professionals: low levels

Earnings for self-employed medical specialists exceed USD 300,000 in countries such as Germany, Austria, and South Korea.

Conversely:

Bulgaria reports the lowest remuneration levels.
Greece records earnings of USD 65,000–75,000 for salaried specialist doctors — comparable to Mexico, Colombia, and Costa Rica.

What these findings mean

The OECD data clearly illustrate that Greece faces:

A high financial burden on patients and households.
Barriers to access, particularly for lower-income groups.
Gaps in service availability and quality.
Deepening structural inequalities within the healthcare system.

For organisations such as Kapa3, these findings reaffirm the importance of:

providing continuous guidance and support to patients and caregivers,
advocating for equitable access to health services,
promoting policies that reduce financial and social inequalities in healthcare.

Sources

OECD – Health at a Glance 2025: OECD Indicators

Text/Adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3