The European Alliance for Personalised Medicine (EAPM) was pleased to participate and present at the official kick-off meeting of the ON-COME project, held on 6–7 October at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome. The project, co-funded under the EU4Health Programme, brings together a multidisciplinary consortium committed to improving psychosocial, neuropsychological, and nutritional care for children and adolescents undergoing cancer treatment.
While survival rates in paediatric oncology have steadily improved, the wider impacts of cancer and its treatments on a child’s emotional, cognitive, family, and social life remain significant. ON-COME responds to this challenge by establishing a coordinated European framework for supportive care—one that is structured, evidence-based, integrated into clinical practice, and accessible across regions.
A Collaborative Launch for Transformative Impact
The meeting gathered clinicians, psychologists, researchers, technology innovators, patient representatives, and policy organisations to align on objectives, work plan, governance, and early milestones.
Over two days, partners explored shared priorities, including:
- Mapping current psycho-oncological, neuropsychological, and nutritional support services across Europe
- Identifying structural gaps and disparities between centres and Member States
- Developing standardised protocols and best-practice pathways
- Co-designing digital and educational tools to support families and professionals
- Strengthening workforce training and capacity building
- Piloting integrated models of care in clinical settings
Breakout sessions facilitated detailed planning on service mapping methodologies, data and interoperability considerations, and early steps in the development of child-friendly digital interfaces to support emotional preparedness and understanding during treatment.
EAPM Contribution: Policy, Ecosystem Building & Dissemination
EAPM leads Work Package 6: Dissemination, Outreach, Ecosystem Building & Policy Impact, presented during the meeting.
Our role will focus on:
- Ensuring project outcomes are visible and actionable across EU health and policy networks
- Engaging patient organisations, clinical societies, and national authorities
- Translating evidence and pilot learnings into policy-relevant recommendations
- Supporting alignment with broader EU cancer agendas, including Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the European Cancer Mission
- Driving long-term sustainability so that the project’s solutions do not remain isolated pilots, but become standard components of paediatric oncology care
By placing dissemination and stakeholder engagement at the centre of the project, ON-COME aims not only to generate knowledge but to embed improved supportive care into real-world practice across health systems.
A Shared Commitment: Treating the Child, Not Just the Cancer
The kick-off reinforced a unifying principle shared across the consortium:
equitable, holistic, and continuous supportive care must be an integral part of paediatric cancer treatment—not an optional addition.
ON-COME will develop the tools, guidance, and structures to make this possible, with the lived experience of children and families at the centre.
EAPM is proud to contribute to this effort and looks forward to working with project partners to ensure that supportive care becomes a standard expectation—and a guaranteed right—for every child with cancer in Europe.
ON-COME is co-funded by the European Union under the EU4Health Programme (Grant Agreement No. 101219424). The views expressed in this communication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the European Union or HaDEA.