From 6th to 8th November, Cascais played host to the XII National Congress of Breast Cancer, centred on the theme “Precision Medicine in Breast Cancer.” SHINE 2Europe, a key player in the field, was represented by its CEO, Carina Dantas, herself a breast cancer survivor. Carina contributed to a pivotal roundtable discussion on “Supportive Care and Improving the Quality of Life for Breast Cancer Survivors: Personalised Follow-Up.” Her presentation, titled “How to Integrate Survivors’ Needs: The Importance of Humanising Care,” underscored the critical role of empathy and inclusivity in oncology.
During her intervention, Carina highlighted SHINE 2Europe’s extensive contributions to cancer-related initiatives, including its leading role in the Horizon Europe project, RadioVal. Within this initiative, SHINE spearheads the Work Package on Multi-Stakeholder Engagement and Social Innovation, fostering collaboration among patients, AI developers, ethicists, and healthcare professionals. Carina’s remarks reinforced the value of survivor involvement in shaping patient-centred care systems. Drawing on her own experiences as a survivor, she passionately advocated for follow-up care systems that are not only effective but also deeply attuned to the holistic needs of survivors.
In addition to her insights on personalised care, Carina showcased RadioVal’s groundbreaking efforts to advance neoadjuvant chemotherapy outcomes. The project leverages cutting-edge AI technology to predict pathologic complete response (pCR), thereby enhancing surgical outcomes and optimising treatment plans. Carina emphasised how SHINE ensures RadioVal is both technologically innovative and ethically robust, reflecting a commitment to inclusive and human-centred healthcare.
Carina’s participation at the Congress shone a spotlight on the importance of integrating empathy, innovation, and collaboration into oncology care. Her contributions serve as a powerful reminder that the future of cancer care lies in combining scientific progress with a profound understanding of the human experience.
