Register now for our upcoming webinar taking place on Wednesday, 24 June 2026 at 15:0016:30 CET to discuss cancer late effects, and how do they uniquely affect Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA).
Cancer survivorship does not end when treatment ends. For AYA who have experienced cancer, the years after treatment can bring a new set of physical, emotional, cognitive, and social challenges called late effects: health issues that may appear months or even years after cancer therapy is completed.
This webinar, Not the End of the Story: Understanding Late Effects of Cancer Treatment in AYA Cancer Survivors, will explore what late effects are, why they occur, and how they uniquely impact AYA survivors navigating critical stages of life such as education, careers, relationships, fertility, and long-term health.
We will have panelists from different projects involved in the Quality of Life AYA Cluster, also focusing on cancer late-effects, and each bringing distinct perspectives and innovative solutions. In addition to project representatives, the discussion will also feature the perspective of Ketiona Malolli, one of the co-researchers involved in the MAYA Project.
The panel will be moderated by Dr. Michal Bohdan from the Medical Univeristy of Gdańsk, clinical lead partner from the MAYA project.
TRANSCEND-XR is a Horizon Europe-funded project focused on improving the lives of AYA testicular cancer survivors through immersive, digital support.
Dr. Maria O’Malley is the Vice-Coordinator of the TRANSCEND-XR project. She is a College Lecturer, Director of Postgraduate Diploma Specialist Mental Health Nursing Practice, School of Nursing and Midwifery from the University College Cork. Her research is primarily focused on mental health and wellbeing across the lifespan (with both service users and providers), suicide prevention, and cancer survivorship.
PredictAYA is a Horizon Europe-funded project focused on understanding the long-term effects of cancer treatments in AYA cancer survivors, and on identifying ways to prevent them.
Dr. Kenny Rodriguez-Wallbert is a medical doctor and specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology with subspecialty training in Reproductive Medicine. She is a senior consultant at Karolinska University Hospital and has been clinically responsible for the fertility preservation program since 2007. Her research focuses on fertility preservation, assisted reproductive technologies, and prevention of treatment-related infertility, integrating clinical, epidemiological, and translational research. She is Head of the Translational Fertility Preservation Laboratory at Karolinska Institutet and serves as Coordinator for the PredictAYA project.
LATE-AYA is a Horizon Europe-funded project focused on empowering AYA living beyond cancer to better manage their health and well-being, by developing an AI-driven digital platform for managing late effects of cancer treatment.
Dr. Asta Pundziene is a Professor at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), where she serves as Principal Investigator of the Digital Healthcare Innovations Research Group and Director of the Business Digital Transformation Research Centre. Since 2018, she has also been an affiliated scholar at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on digital platforms, AI and big data innovation, and technology adoption in healthcare, grounded in strategic management and open innovation. She has published more than 40 high-level papers, supervised more than 12 doctoral students, and holds leadership roles, including board membership at the Lithuanian Research Council, the IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Society, and the Dynamic Competition Initiative.
MAYA is a Horizon Europe-funded project focused on empowering young cancer survivors to take control of their cardiovascular health through AI-driven, personalised care.
Dr. Emilia Stepnowska is a cardiologist and internal medicine specialist with extensive clinical experience in managing patients with a broad spectrum of cardiovascular diseases and complex multimorbidity. Her professional background spans hospital, outpatient, emergency, and intensive care settings, giving her a comprehensive perspective on patient care across different stages of disease. She combines clinical expertise in cardiovascular diagnostics, including echocardiography and cardiac device follow-up, with a strong interest in evidence-based, patient-centered medicine. Her academic and research work focuses on pulmonary hypertension, cardiovascular risk assessment, and the early detection of cardiotoxicity in cancer survivors. Dr. Stepnowska is the author and co-author of several scientific publications and a member of the European Society of Cardiology and the Polish Cardiac Society.
PanCare4AYA is a Horizon Europe-funded project focused on improving the health and quality of life of survivors of AYA cancer survivors by developing and testing a screening programme for early detection and treatment of late effects.
Dr. Elvira van Dalen
Ketiona Malolli is a psychologist and serves as a patient advocate at both national and European levels. She is also a board member of the Greek Organization of Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Survivors “Kyttaro”, where she contributes to advocacy and peer-support initiatives for childhood, adolescent, and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors. Her work focuses on psychosocial support, advocacy initiatives, and improving the quality of life for people affected by cancer
Role in MAYA as a co-researcher
Within the MAYA project, Ketiona contributes as a co-researcher by bringing in the lived experience perspective of an AYA cancer survivor. Her role involves supporting the co-creation of project outputs, ensuring that patient needs and priorities are meaningfully integrated into research and innovation processes. She is particularly interested in highlighting the real-life impact of late effects and the importance of patient-centered approaches in long-term follow-up care.
