Initiatives in Support of Cancer Research Public Outreach Patient Engagement

VHIO supports and organizes activities to increase public interest in cancer research and promote the important advances reported by our scientists and clinical investigators.

These efforts are aimed at patients and non-specialized audiences to enrich scientific culture as well as promote science as a stimulating career path for young people – the future of our research. Importantly, some of these initiatives have resulted in considerable funding for research at VHIO. We will continue to lead and participate in all these precious initiatives, and launch new ones based on identified opportunities.

Illustrative of these efforts, we take this opportunity to mention just some of the many highlights and activities in 2024.

Initiatives in Support of Cancer Research

In 2024, 51 solidarity initiatives were organized by patients, associations, companies, and individuals to raise funds for VHIO, involving 17,556 participants.

These numbers demonstrate society's commitment to cancer research. From the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) we would like to thank all the solidarity initiatives and all the people who support VHIO and contribute to the fight against cancer.

October 2024: Members of the Endavant Chic@s Association.

After her experience as a breast cancer patient, Luisa Vázquez discovered that many other breast cancer patients were going through this experience without a support network at such a challenging time. To support patients during their day-to-day treatment, she founded the Asociación Endavant Chic@s. Additionally, this association provides a daily volunteer service at the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital for women suffering from this disease.

VHIO's Breast Cancer Group, led by Cristina Saura, has been the beneficiary of this organisation's donations. This year, Endavant Chic@s donated 17,994.42€ to support research aimed at better calculating the risk of developing breast cancer. This project uses predictive models to anticipate and prevent the disease.

September 2024 (left to right): Marta Perachino, Inés Gasén, Cristina Saura.

El Paseíco de la Mama (strolling for breast cancer) is a longstanding champion of VHIO’s Breast Cancer Group which is directed by Cristina Saura. Thanks to its roots and long trajectory, this fundraising initiative provides essential support year after year that enables our researchers to pursue various breast cancer research projects.

In 2011, after being diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy, Inés Gasén and her family decided to organize a solidarity walk along the canal of Zaragoza. This year’s donation of 70,346.60€ will support the INSP3KTION project, led by Marta Perachino, Medical Onologist and Clinical Investigator of Cristina’s Group. This project aims to better understand biological changes in healthy breast tissue and their relationship to the development of breast cancer.

October 2024: Members of the Association Sin teta hay paraíso with Meritxell Bellet and Esther Zamora, Medical Oncologists and Clinical Investigators of VHIO’s Breast Cancer Group, and staff of the city council of Montcada i Reixac (left); Members of the Association Sin teta hay paraíso with VHIO’s Director Josep Tabernero and staff of the city council of Palau Solità i Plegamans (right).

The Association Sin teta hay paraíso, founded in 2012 in Montcada i Reixac, is a non-profit organization that aims to promote and help women affected by breast cancer socially and emotionally. This year the Association Sin Teta Hay Paraíso raised 30,000€ for research into lobular breast cancer at VHIO, led by our Breast Cancer Group.

October 2024: Members of the Asociación Iker with César Serrano and Julia Estornell.

Every year, the Iker Association supports VHIO’s Sarcoma Translational Research Group, led by César Serrano. This association carries out activities to raise funds for myxoid liposarcoma research. It also provides support to patients to guide them and help patients' families.

In 2024, thanks to its solidarity initiatives, the association managed to raise 5,000€ to continue researching myxoid liposarcoma at VHIO.

November 2024: Monica Tribó (left) and Eva Muñoz (right).

Maestra con clase is an initiative set up by Mónica Tribó to design materials and products specifically created for teachers. Since it was established, Mónica decided to donate a percentage of its annual profits to support melanoma research. In 2024, she raised 1,500€ for VHIO’s Melanoma and Other Skin Tumours Group, headed by Eva Muñoz.

May 2024: Members of the organization of Unió Esportiva Avià with Mafalda Oliveira and Maria Borrell.

On May 1st 2024, the first Unió Esportiva Avià women's tournament took place. A unique initiative, and the first of the county of Bergadá located in the province of Barcelona, the mission of this tournament was to raise funds for breast cancer research at VHIO. Specifically, the Unió Esportiva Avià donated 3,605.47€ to help support the development of the PORTRAIT-TNBC project led by Mafalda Oliveira, Medical Oncologist and Clinical Investigator of VHIO’s Breast Cancer Group.

October 2024: Organizers of the VHIOVida Festival with Elena Élez.

#IrurtzunRules was born thanks to the support and generosity of the family and friends of Sergi Irurtzun, who was diagnosed with colon cancer seven years ago, and sadly died.

He left behind a tremendous legacy, including the VHIOVida music festival and the TRANSPYR cycling race along the coast. In 2024, Vida IrurtzunRules donated 19,600€ to VHIO's Colorectal Cancer Group led by Elena Élez.

October 2024: The Nocturna Rosa solidarity dinner, featuring a talk by Miriam Arumí, Medical Oncologist and Clinical Investigator of VHIO’s Breast Cancer Group.

La Nocturna Rosa is a special night dedicated to raising funds for VHIO's Breast Cancer Group. This year, more than 400 people participated in this solidarity dinner which raised 11,130€. More than 50 companies from Catalonia and the Maresme area, as well as private donors, took part in this charity dinner dedicated to breast cancer research.

November 2024: Organizers of the Padel Movember solidarity initiative.

Movember Padel is a charity padel tournament organized by doctors, journalists and engineers who are fans of this sport. This tournament is organized once a year, in November, as part of the Movember campaign to raise awareness and promote research into prostate and testicular cancer. This year, this initiative raised 5,601€, which was donated to VHIO’s Prostate Cancer Group, which is co-directed by Joaquin Mateo and Joan Carles.

July 2024: VHIO’s Upper Gastrointestinal and Endocrine Tumor Group at the Festival Vallviva.

This year, the VALLVIVA festival donated all profits from this event to support research at both the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) and VHIO.

Specifically, at VHIO, funds raised will support research aimed at advancing insights into pancreatic cancer —one of the most complex and difficult-to-treat tumor types. This project is led by Teresa Macarulla, Head of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Program at the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and our Upper Gastrointestinal and Endocrine Tumors Group.

October 2024: Members of the Em dones força association with VHIO’s Cristina Saura, Head of our Breast Cancer Group (right of center), and Meritxell Bellet, Medical Oncologist and Clinical Investigator of Cristina’s team.

The Em dones força association was founded by a group of friends in Riudoms (Tarragona, Catalonia) to raise funds for cancer research. In October, we received a donation of 10,000€ for research against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Each year, this fundraising initiative supports VHIO’s Breast Cancer Group to continue working on innovative research projects.

Iñurri is a non-profit association dedicated to accompanying, training and disseminating information about cancer from a feminist perspective and organizing events to raise funds for cancer research. This year, this association donated 10.000€ of proceeds from the sale of products from their online store to VHIO’s Sarcoma Translational Research Group, led by César Serrano.

The Sosciathlon Solidarity Association & Costa Daurada Tourist Charity Association come together every year to organize solidarity sports in the Costa Daurada area of Catalonia. These initiatives support charitable causes and cancer research.

The 3rd Costa Daurada Tourist Charity Run took place in July this year and raised 8,105€ which was donated to support research into testicular cancer led by VHIO’s Genitourinary (non-prostate), Central Nervous System (CNS) Tumours, Sarcomas and Tumours of Unknown Origin Group, directed by Joan Carles.

Many individuals have contributed to VHIO during 2024, as well as companies and associations that have also made essential donations in support of our research against cancer: CaixaBank Banca Privada, Isovolta Group, Idilia Foods, Familia Ferró Ricart, Sony Global, Associació Musa, Hocatel S.A, Cosmetalia Consulting, Ajuntament de Sant Vivenç de Montalt, RT Lleida i Ajuntament de Torrefarrera, Cushman and Wakefield, Galerías del Tresillo, Kukulu Mendi Kluba, IEA Oriol Martorell, Kaleido Logistics, FEDAC Montcada, among many others.

Public Outreach

A student performing the Volumes and Tools activity as part of our Escola i Ciència Program.

Escola i Ciència - Schools and Science Program

As part of our Escola i Ciència - Schools and Science Program, 527 students from 6th grade of primary school mainly, but also upper secondary students (bachillerato), university students, vocational training students (ciclos formativos) or summer schools' attendees have come to VHIO to learn about science and cancer. During 2024, 13 different educative centers from Barcelona and surrounding areas visited VHIO to meet our researchers, tour our laboratories, and discover more about cancer biology and oncological research through dedicated scientific workshops conducted by VHIO researchers.

4th grade ESO students with their VHIO4STEM mentor at VHIO.

Group photo of all the students and VHIO faculty who participated in the VHIO4STEM program.

VHIO4STEM program

In 2024, VHIO launched a pilot mentoring program called VHIO4STEM, in which 12 students in 4th grade ESO (compulsory secondary education) accompanied 6 VHIO researchers (Mariana Yáñez, Patricia Fernández, Íñigo González, Andrea Herencia, Mariona Cubells and Iris Marcote) for a few hours during 4 dedicated sessions. This program enables students with an interest in science, who are at the stage in their education in which they need to make important decisions about their future studies, to learn about what it means to be a scientist, what it is like to work in a cancer research laboratory, and what kind of professional profile is required to work in a center like VHIO.

VHIO’s second Open Day at our CELLEX building.

VHIO Open Day

Launched in 2023, the mission of our VHIO Open Day is to bring cancer research closer to society. This year, more than 150 participants toured VHIO's facilities and laboratories, and listened to up to five talks given by VHIO faculty on topics related to the latest advances in cancer research, including artificial intelligence, liquid biopsy, clinical trials, and patient involvement in cancer research.

There were also workshops for the whole family where children could learn about the role of genes and mutations in cancer development, and the use of laboratory tools such as pipettes and plates, but also microscopies or AI tools.

This initiative is part of VHIO’s accreditation as a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (2022-2026), and one which we are dedicated to organizing each year.

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Each year, VHIO researchers participate in the #100tífiques joint initiative of the Fundació Catalana per a la Recerca i la Innovació (FCRI) and the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), in collaboration with the Departament d’Educació de la Generalitat de Catalunya.

Organized annually, this project aims to increase the visibility and highlight the relevance and strategic role of women in science and technology, promoting joint actions between scientists from academia and enterprise. It also seeks to forge a more direct and reciprocal relationship between science and society.

Roundtable discussion on the needs of patients before, during, and after treatment.

World Cancer Day 2024

The Vall d'Hebron University Hospital celebrated World Cancer Day on 01 February. VHIO’s participation included Cristina Saura, Head of VHIO’s Breast Cancer Group, who was one of the invited panellists at a roundtable discussion focused on the needs of patients before, during, and after treatment. Furthermore, Teresa Macarulla and Héctor G. Palmer, Heads of our Upper Gastrointestinal and Endocrine Tumor Group and Stem Cells and Cancer Group, respectively, participated in the second roundtable session on research at Vall d’Hebron, as a leading center in oncology.

Enriqueta Felip, who directs VHIO’s Thoracic Tumors Group, the Thoracic and Head and Neck Cancer Unit within the Oncology Department of Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, and is also co-Director of VHIO’s Clinical Research Program, was an invited speaker at the closing of the event.

VHIO professionals right before the workshop at 17th annual Festa de la Ciència.

Festa de la Ciència

The Ajuntament de Barcelona organized the 17th annual Festa de la Ciència. Serving as an educational forum to learn about and update on the latest scientific advances, more than 150 activities took place during the event to bring scientific knowledge to the public and families.

This year, Jon Ander Aguirre, Andreu Ódena, María Butjosa and Daniel Capitan—all Predoctoral Researchers at VHIO—organized and ran an interactive workshop explaining the role of gene mutations in cancer development using LEGO®.

VHIO-organized activities at the European Night of Research.

European Night of Research

On 27 September 2024, VHIO investigators once again participated in the Nit Europea de la Recerca (European Night of Research), with several activities open to the public at the CosmoCaixa Science Museum.

On the afternoon of 27 September, VHIO took part in four of these events. Francesco Grussu, Daniel Navarro, Luz Maria Atlagich and Adrià Marcos, investigators of VHIO's Radiomics Group organized several activities including a workshop, a storytelling activity and a micro-talk to bring radiomics and computational research concepts closer to the public for different age groups. Furthermore, Sofía Llorente, Joel Castro, Claudia Yáñez and Joan Ander Aguirre—all Predoctoral Researchers at VHIO—participated in the science fair with an interactive activity explaining gene mutations in cancer development.

Patient Engagement

Aimed at strengthening the involvement of patients and their families in VHIO research outside the laboratory and clinic, we organized the following activities:

February 2024: Left to right: Luis Quevedo, Maria José Fariña, Fran Martínez, Jose Antonio Seoane during one of our VHIO Talks on: How can artificial intelligence help us fight cancer?

VHIO Talks

As a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (2022-2026), VHIO has developed its PAtient and CiTIzen InvolvemENT Program – PATIENT to bring research closer to the public and strengthen patient involvement in oncology research. In 2024, these monthly sessions focused on a range of different topics including scientific research, advanced therapies, colorectal cancer, biomarkers, sarcoma, prostate cancer, among others. In 2024, CaixaForum+ supported the production of the documentary series Science vs. Cancer, which includes all VHIO Talks as well as exclusive interviews with the speakers.

This program promotes the exchange of knowledge, patients and participants discuss and debate corresponding topics with VHIO investigators. In 2024, 10 VHIO Talks took place including 8 invited patients and 25 investigators on the respective discussion panels, with a total attendance of 464 participants.

September 2024: Some members of VHIO's Colorectal Cancer Group and attendees.

Workshops for Cancer Patients

VHIO’s 3rd Research Day for Patients' Associations, in the framework of the PATIENT Program, took place on 6 September, in this case focusing on colorectal cancer patients. This conference, led by Elena Élez, was attended by specialized speakers and researchers from VHIO's Colorectal Cancer Group. During the event, the importance of prevention in colorectal cancer, latest treatments, nutrition and clinical trials were discussed.

These events are designed to update participants on the latest advances in cancer research, highlight main research lines pursued by our investigators, and further promote and strengthen collaboration between VHIO and society.

Poster for the 2024 series of talks on breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Workshops

The 11th annual Edition of Breast Cancer Talks-Workshops, supported by Pfizer and organized in collaboration with the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital’s Breast Cancer Unit led by Cristina Saura, was coordinated by Esther Zamora and Lucía Sanz, Medical Oncologists and Clinical Investigators of VHIO’s Breast Cancer Group.

During these workshops, patients can learn and exchange opinions with oncology professionals and share their own experiences with other patients suffering from this disease.

This educational program also counts on the unconditional support of the Asociación Endavant Chic@s.

Poster for the 2024 series of talks on breast cancer.

Clinical Trials Workshops for Patients

The first edition of the Clinical Trials Workshops for patients was held in 2024. Organized within the framework of the PATIENT Program, six different workshops took place this year with the participation of 8 invited VHIO researchers and 5 patients, covering topics such as understanding clinical trial protocols, how to interpret life history questionnaires, and listening to the voice and experience of patients who have participated in a clinical trial.

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