This year’s ESO College Voices Contest proved once again that doctors can also be excellent cancer writers.
For this year’s contest, we received 27 proposals from ESO College members across 20 countries, each elaborating on the chosen topic: “Social media – friend or foe for cancer patients?“
Many proposals examined similar effects of social media on cancer patients, highlighting both its benefits and hidden risks. The submissions were well written, drawing on existing data as well as personal experiences with patients, which made the selection process anything but easy.
After careful consideration, guided by CancerWorld’s editorial standards, clarity of purpose, relevance, originality, potential impact, and alignment with our hallmark style of using interviews and firsthand experience, we selected two winners.
Ina Suppan: Social Media and Cancer Care – A Double-Edged Connection
A surgical oncologist and breast cancer specialist, Ina Suppan delivers a clear, well-structured proposal offering a balanced perspective on social media’s role in cancer care. Drawing on her extensive patient base, she urges oncologists to take a more active role in guiding and creating online cancer information, rather than leaving this space to influencers and algorithms alone. She outlines specific tools and methods she will use to analyse the impact of social media, combining evidence-based data with patients’ firsthand experiences from her practice. This approach promises to provide multiple perspectives and reduce bias, enabling professionals and institutions to take well-informed, evidence-based actions
Jovana Mijucic: Hashtags and Clarity: Transforming Social Media into a Source of Truth for Oncology Patients
Jovana’s proposal stood out for its distinctive style and flow. Rather than simply weighing the pros and cons of social media for cancer patients, she envisions a national, patient-focused information platform that is inclusive, culturally sensitive, and tailored to different socioeconomic realities. So, her concept offers more than an assessment of social media’s impact; it provides a concrete, practical solution with the potential to transform how patients access and trust information. Managed by medical doctors and other healthcare professionals, the platform would address patients’ real needs, responding not only to therapeutic questions but also to everyday concerns such as “Will I lose my hair?” or “Can I go on holiday?”.
A Thank You to All Participants
We sincerely thank everyone who took the time to submit a proposal. Your contributions reflect the dedication, empathy, and insight that define our community. Each submission brought valuable perspectives that will help shape the future of oncology practice and patient care.
We look forward to sharing the final articles from our winners in CancerWorld and to hearing many more voices in future contests.
