Boosting mental health of young cancer survivors through the European Cancer Patient Digital Centre (ECPDC)

The grant opportunity titled "Boosting Mental Health of Young Cancer Survivors through the European Cancer Patient Digital Centre (ECPDC)" falls under the Horizon Europe initiative, specifically referenced as HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-05. It is designed to support the mental health needs of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors, particularly those aged 15 to 39.

Eligible applicants include a diverse range of stakeholders: universities, research institutions, private companies, non-profits, patient advocacy organizations, healthcare providers, and behavioral and social science experts. The proposal requires direct involvement from cancer patients and survivors, emphasizing collaborative development across multidisciplinary teams.

The funding type is a lump sum grant of €7 million, awarded under the HORIZON-IA (Horizon Innovation Actions) structure. Only one grant is expected to be awarded, making this a highly competitive call, with the aim of developing, demonstrating, and implementing an innovative digital health platform that integrates mental health tools designed specifically for young survivors of cancer.

The project should focus on developing an online module within the broader European Cancer Patient Digital Centre, addressing mental health during diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Key features of the platform could include artificial intelligence-driven tools, such as mood tracking systems, gamified engagement elements, peer-to-peer support communities, and interactive self-help features tailored to the needs of young cancer patients.

The application process is single-stage, with submissions opening on February 10, 2026, and a deadline set for September 15, 2026. The opportunity encourages collaborations and aims to integrate findings into existing frameworks aligned with the European Cancer Mission, urging projects to network within the 'Quality of Life' cluster.

Overall, this initiative seeks to leverage digital health innovations to significantly improve the quality of life and mental health support for young cancer survivors, establishing a vital resource that meets their unique needs throughout their cancer journey.

This EU grant opportunity focuses on boosting the mental health of young cancer survivors through the European Cancer Patient Digital Centre (ECPDC). It falls under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically the call supporting the implementation of the Cancer Mission (HORIZON-MISS-2026-02). The type of action is HORIZON-IA (HORIZON Innovation Actions) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement. The deadline model is single-stage. The planned opening date is 10 February 2026, and the deadline is 15 September 2026, 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of this grant are: Adolescent and young cancer patients and survivors, as well as their caregivers, having access to innovative tools and approaches to strengthen their mental health through the ECPDC; Healthcare professionals having access to innovative tools to monitor and support the mental health of cancer patients and survivors, as well as their caregivers; Researchers and healthcare professionals having access to and using reliable patient-reported data to better understand the mental health needs of cancer patients and survivors and provide effective care.

The scope of this opportunity involves developing an online platform targeting adolescents and young adults (AYA) cancer patients and survivors (age 15-39, age of first diagnosis) to address their mental health needs throughout their journey, at diagnosis, during, and after treatment. The digital platform should be developed as a module to be fully integrated within the European Cancer Patient Digital Centre (EU-CIP). Clear links with EU-CIP should be established, including operational solutions and sustainability. The platform should include a mix of innovative personalized, evidence-based, and interactive features building on state-of-the-art research to address the mental health needs of AYA patients and survivors. Both cognitive, affective, and behavior change aspects should be considered. The innovative nature of proposed solutions should be clearly demonstrated. Multi-device compatibility (mobile, tablet, web) and multilingual support to reach diverse populations should be included. Specific needs and potential solutions should be discussed and developed in close cooperation with end-users. The efficacy of the proposed solutions should be demonstrated by testing and validating them by an appropriate number of end users, with different cancer types and belonging to the targeted age group. Innovative tools for the collection and analysis of mental health-relevant Patient Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMs) and Patient Reported Experiences Measures (PREMs) should be developed, tested, and integrated into the platform. Effective mining of lived experience data should be enabled to support psychometric development and validation, risk modeling, and the co-creation of personalized psychological measures of mental health. Tools should be developed and validated in close cooperation with end-users including patients, survivors, healthcare professionals, and researchers. European Health Data Space (EHDS) aligned guidelines should be developed to report and deposit relevant patient-reported data collected with the above tools.

Projects should include an appropriate mix of stakeholders from various disciplines and sectors, including but not limited to physicians, psychologists, nurses, academia, patients and their caregivers, patient representatives, behavioral scientists, cancer survivorship scientists, AI-experts and solutions providers, SMEs, charities and funding agencies, and research organizations. Direct involvement of cancer patients and survivors, survivor representative organizations, and caregivers is required, along with effective contribution of Social Science and Humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions, as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant results, enhancing the impact of the proposed activities.

Due consideration should be given to initiatives such as: EU-CAYAS-NET; ERN PaedCan, Pancare EUonQoL, e-Quol and other relevant initiatives, including projects funded under the EU Cancer Mission topic HORIZON-MISS-2024-CANCER-01-05: Improving the understanding and management of late-effects in adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer. Successful proposals will be asked to join the 'Quality of life” cluster for the EU Cancer Mission and should include a budget for networking, attendance at meetings, and joint activities. The Commission will facilitate coordination of these activities.

The general conditions include: Admissibility Conditions (proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, and in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System); Eligible Countries (described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide); Other Eligible Conditions (subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks, described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes); Financial and operational capacity and exclusion (described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes); Evaluation and award (award criteria, scoring, and thresholds described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes, with thresholds of 4 for Excellence, Impact, and Implementation, and a cumulative threshold of 12; submission and evaluation processes described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual; indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes); Legal and financial set-up of the grants (eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021, with the granting authority potentially objecting to transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results up to 4 years after the end of the action, as set out in Annex 5, and further details described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes).

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme. Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) information includes: Application form templates (available in the Submission System, Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)); Evaluation form templates (Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)); Guidance (HE Programme Guide); Model Grant Agreements (MGA) (Lump Sum MGA); Call-specific instructions (Detailed budget table (HE LS), Information on clinical studies (HE), Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?").

Additional documents include: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction; HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 12. Missions; HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes; HE Programme Guide; HE Framework Programme 2021/695; HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764; EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509; Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme; Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment; EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement; Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual; Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions; Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget overview for the year 2026 includes several topics: HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-01 (HORIZON-RIA, 35,000,000 EUR, contributions of 8,000,000 to 9,000,000 EUR, 4 grants); HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-02 (HORIZON-RIA, 15,000,000 EUR, around 15,000,000 EUR contribution, 1 grant); HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-03 (HORIZON-RIA, 22,186,000 EUR, contributions of 7,000,000 to 8,000,000 EUR, 3 grants); HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-04 (HORIZON-RIA, 15,000,000 EUR, around 5,000,000 EUR contribution, 3 grants); HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-05 (HORIZON-IA, 7,000,000 EUR, around 7,000,000 EUR contribution, 1 grant); HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-06 (HORIZON-CSA, 5,000,000 EUR, around 5,000,000 EUR contribution, 1 grant); HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-07 (HORIZON-RIA, 25,000,000 EUR, contributions of 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 EUR, 5 grants). All topics are single-stage with a planned opening date of 2026-02-10 and a deadline of 2026-09-15.

Partner search announcements are available, and LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests. The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.

This opportunity aims to improve the mental health support for young cancer patients and survivors by creating a digital platform integrated into the European Cancer Patient Digital Centre. It seeks to provide innovative tools and resources for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, while also promoting data-driven research and personalized care. The project requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving various stakeholders and ensuring the direct participation of cancer patients and survivors. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and successful projects will join the 'Quality of life' cluster for the EU Cancer Mission, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Eligible Applicant Types: The call specifies that projects should include an appropriate mix of stakeholders from various disciplines and sectors, including but not limited to physicians, psychologists, nurses, academia, patients and their caregivers, patient representatives, behavioural scientists, cancer survivorship scientists, AI-experts and solutions providers, SMEs, charities and funding agencies, and research organisations. This suggests that a wide range of entities, including research institutes, universities, SMEs, healthcare providers, non-profits, and patient advocacy groups, are eligible to apply.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, as indicated by the type of MGA (Model Grant Agreement) being HORIZON-AG-LS. The call falls under HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA).

Consortium Requirement: The call emphasizes the need for an appropriate mix of stakeholders from various disciplines and sectors, suggesting that a consortium is strongly encouraged, if not required. The involvement of diverse expertise is crucial for the success of the proposed platform.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The call is part of the Horizon Europe program, which generally includes EU member states and associated countries. The documentation mentions that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector: The program targets the health sector, specifically focusing on cancer and mental health. It also involves the ICT sector, as the goal is to develop an online platform. Other relevant sectors include artificial intelligence (AI), behavioral science, and social sciences and humanities (SSH).

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are explicitly mentioned in the opportunity details, but the call is part of the Horizon Europe program, implying that EU member states and associated countries are the primary geographic focus. The documentation mentions that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Project Stage: The project stage is development and innovation, as the call aims to develop, test, and integrate innovative tools into an online platform. It also involves validation and demonstration through testing with end-users.

Funding Amount: The budget overview provides the following information for the call HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-05: The total budget is EUR 7,000,000, and the indicative number of grants is 1. This suggests that the funding range for this specific topic is around EUR 7,000,000 per project. Other related topics have different budgets and indicative grant numbers, as follows:
HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-01: EUR 35,000,000 total, EUR 8,000,000 to EUR 9,000,000 per grant, 4 grants
HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-02: EUR 15,000,000 total, around EUR 15,000,000 per grant, 1 grant
HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-03: EUR 22,186,000 total, EUR 7,000,000 to EUR 8,000,000 per grant, 3 grants
HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-04: EUR 15,000,000 total, around EUR 5,000,000 per grant, 3 grants
HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-06: EUR 5,000,000 total, around EUR 5,000,000 per grant, 1 grant
HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-07: EUR 25,000,000 total, EUR 5,000,000 to EUR 6,000,000 per grant, 5 grants

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant to cover eligible costs.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates can be inferred from the budget overview, which provides the indicative number of grants for each topic. For example, HORIZON-MISS-2026-02-CANCER-05 indicates that only one project will be funded out of all applications received. The success rates will vary depending on the number of applications received for each topic.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement. However, applicants should carefully review the specific conditions and guidelines for the call to determine if co-funding is necessary.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, part of the EU Cancer Mission, focuses on boosting the mental health of young cancer survivors through the European Cancer Patient Digital Centre (ECPDC). The call aims to develop an online platform integrated within the ECPDC, targeting adolescents and young adults (15-39 years old) affected by cancer. The platform should offer innovative, personalized, evidence-based, and interactive features to address their mental health needs throughout their cancer journey. Projects should involve a diverse range of stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, researchers, patients, and AI experts. The call encourages the use of AI-powered chatbots, mood and symptom tracking, interactive self-help tools, peer-to-peer support, and gamified challenges. Successful projects will contribute to the European Cancer Patient Digital Centre, providing access to innovative tools for mental health support, improving data collection and analysis, and developing guidelines for reporting patient-reported data. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and the application process is a single-stage open call.