Dear SIOPE community,
I am delighted to introduce the 46th edition of the SIOPE newsletter and share with you the latest developments within the European childhood cancer community. The first quarter of 2025 has been marked by remarkable achievements and ongoing initiatives.
One of the highlights of our efforts was the successful International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) 2025 event, held at the European Parliament on 4 February. This significant occasion, hosted by MEP András Kulja (EPP, Hungary) with the participation of SIOP Europe and CCI Europe, brought together policymakers, advocates, and healthcare professionals to advance our shared mission. Additionally, we decorated the iconic Jeanneke Pis statue in Brussels, a symbolic gesture reinforcing the visibility of our cause, and collaborated with Kingslize Premium Pizza for a month-long campaign that further amplified awareness and fundraising. We extend our deepest gratitude to our many partners and supporters in February who made these initiatives possible.
Spring Initiatives and Campaigns
This edition of the Spring newsletter would not be complete without highlighting our impactful April campaigns. From 1-5 April, we actively participated in Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Week 2025, reinforcing our commitment to enhancing awareness and understanding of AYA cancer. A key event was the special movie screening hosted at the Italian Institute of Culture in Brussels, which gathered an engaged audience, including high-level speakers from the AYA community. Additionally, during World Health Worker Week in April, we took the opportunity to honor and celebrate the invaluable contributions of healthcare professionals, whose dedication remains instrumental in our mission to cure more, cure better, and eradicate inequalities. To all of you who have missed this gratitude campaign, we extend now our heartfelt thanks for your unwavering support and work in this field.
Upcoming SIOP Europe Annual Meeting 2025
The newsletter is also a chance to update our members on the activities behind-the-scenes, and of course the one at the top of the list, as you know, is the planning of our in-person Annual Meeting that will take place in 12-16 May in Budapest, Hungary.
With registrations still open, we encourage all members to visit the SIOPE Annual Meeting website, explore the final programme, meet the esteemed Scientific Committee, and learn more about the exciting social events planned.
Furthermore, this edition of our newsletter will feature a variety of content, including:
· Insights into past and ongoing projects
· Policy and advocacy updates
· Educational opportunities
· Member spotlights featured on our “Words of Wisdom” section
· News from SIOPE Working Groups and Clinical Trial Groups
· ...and much more!
We hope you enjoy reading the latest news from SIOP Europe and hope to see many of you in Budapest!
Sincerely,
Prof. Uta Dirksen
SIOP Europe President