Research Highlight – ESMO PAWG

ESMO Patient Advocate Working Group

Background

Earlier in 2025, the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) announced the launch of its newly globalised Patient Advocates Working Group (PAWG), now led by Zorana Maravic as Chair. This milestone marks a significant step towards strengthening patient advocacy worldwide.

Comprising 12 representatives from patient advocacy organisations across Europe, Asia/Pacific, North America, Latin America, and Africa (including our very own ANZUP CAP Chair, Belinda Jago), the group will collaborate with the ESMO Director of Public Policy to address key challenges cancer patients face and shape a comprehensive global patient strategy. Their collective efforts will drive tangible improvements in cancer care delivery worldwide.

A Note from ANZUP CAP Chair

At the ESMO conference in Berlin last month, the group met in person for the first time and had our quarter 3 planning meeting for ESMO Singapore December 2025 and ESMO 2026.

The PAWG designed and facilitated 4 workshops that have had closed attendance for patient advocates who were awarded travel scholarships to attend the meeting covering :

  • Getting the most out of your Congress experience (for first time attendees)
  • Crafting and delivering impactful Messages with Real-World Case studies.  
  • Volunteer engagement  
  • Social media advocacy 

There were also 4 Patient Advocacy Tracts as part of the main program chaired by PAWG members some who also presented with other invited speakers:

  • Cancer & Fertility
  • Diversity & Equity
  • Advancing Cancer Care through AI
  • Quality of Life

We were also invited to various industry sponsored breakfast sessions and a dinner session.

We had our own patient Advocate networking event in our HUB for all patient advocates offered travel grants with the PAWG being presented and making sure that everyone was connected to someone.

I have also been able to attend other ESMO sessions with the highlight being the proffered session for ENZARAD.

As patient advocates, collaboration is key and mentoring and supporting others in their advocacy work, whatever cancer or path they have chosen particularly for those that are just starting out.

It has been a truly enlightening experience for me becoming involved as the patient voice for clinical trial research through heartbreak 14 years ago. It has led me down a path of hope and ANZUP’s vision to live life without fear of cancer means so much to me.

I am looking forward to being part of ESMO 2025 in Singapore, December 5-7.

Belinda Jago
ANZUP CAP Chair