European Youth Cancer Network (YARN)

Project Overview:

The European Youth Cancer Network (YARN) weaves together & builds on the EU-CAYAS-NET and OACCUs projects to expand the EU Network of Young People Affected by Cancer, focusing on peer support, social networking, and digital tools to improve access to information, particularly for those facing relapse, metastatic cancer, and treatment side effects.

A Youth Cancer Council will empower young people with cancer experience in leadership through systematic integration into project design. By embedding their voices into feedback loops and consultations, the Council ensures lived experience shapes outcomes and drives long-term policy impact.

The project will assess the role of social connections on the emotional well-being of young people with cancer. An impact study will evaluate the effects of the EU action grant on Beneficiaries and Partners, focusing on collaboration and synergies with other EU projects.

Through focus groups, peer visits, training programs, webinars, and workshops, the project will implement psychosocial and mental health care standards, offer education and career support, and develop comprehensive resources for long-term follow-up and transition of care through evidence-based guidelines. It will improve access to multilingual resources on coping with treatment side effects, relapse, and metastatic cancer for youth living with and beyond cancer.

The project will also promote equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) in healthcare institutions and patient communities through tools like the Inclusivity Checklist and a Certification System. A focus on healthy lifestyles will introduce exercise programs, workshops, and a bootcamp to improve well-being. Communication campaigns will reach 50 million people across Europe, and the ACE Academy will train 100 patient advocates. The project will also maintain and expand its digital Platform to host multilingual, reliable information and ensure synergies with other EU-funded projects.

Project Details:

• Duration: July 2025 to June 2028 (36 months)
• Funding: This project has received funding from the European Union’s EU4Health Programme under Grant Agreement No 101219053.
• Partners: 25 EU Member States and 3 eligible neighbouring countries, and delivered by 19 Beneficiaries, 1 Affiliated Entity, and 39 Associated Partners
• Objective: The YARN project aims to improve the quality of life and long-term care of young people living with and beyond cancer by enhancing peer support, mental health, education, and career resources, while promoting equity, diversity, and inclusivity. It also seeks to expand multilingual digital tools, evidence-based guidelines, and advocacy to strengthen connections and support across Europe.

EONS’s role in YARN

The European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS) supports YARN project's activities in promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in cancer care, as well as in communication, dissemination, and education. 

Get involved in YARN

Stay tuned for more information!