In March, I attended the joint British Psychosocial Oncology Society and National Cancer Research Institute’s Psychosocial Oncology and Survivorship Clinical Studies Group annual conference. It took place across two days in Chester, UK, and brought together practitioners, researchers, patient advocates, as well as students, all with the shared interest of enhancing supportive care in oncology and, ultimately, the quality of life of those affected by cancer. Joint BPOS & NCRI

This week marks the start of the third year of my PhD, and I’m feeling in a reflective mood…deadlines, presentations, secondments come and go and it’s easy to get caught up in my weekly to-do list. But right now I’m taking a step back to think of the big picture and what my project is all about, and I wanted to share this with you! Every year, nearly 500,000 women in Europe are diagnosed with breast cancer, many of whom will need to have surgery as a crucial part of their tre

Last week of November I finished an 11-months study. It was a qualitative study based mostly on semi-structured interviews. For everyone who doesn’t know me, well, I’m a trained computer engineer with a Masters degree on pervasive computing and sustainable development who is now working on an algorithm to predict the care journeys for future cancer patients. It is not common for engineers to get training in qualitative research, so here I'll present some tips to conduct one.

They say a problem shared is a problem halved. If you have ever felt that weight leave your shoulders after talking through a problem with a friend, you’ll know that there is some truth to this statement. However sometimes it is easier to discuss concerns with a complete stranger than it is with a friend or relative. This may be particularly true as one tries to come to terms and cope with a life changing event, such as being diagnosed with cancer for example. In such situati