WECAN Retreat 2026: shaping priorities for the year ahead

The World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition recently took part in the annual retreat of WECAN, held in Prague from April 14-15, 2026. The two-day meeting brought together 23 umbrella cancer patient organisations, representing a wide range of cancer types.

The retreat was led by Alex Filicevas, Chair of WECAN and provided an opportunity to reflect on the past year and look ahead. Participants shared experiences, exchanged ideas, and discussed common priorities as a community.

This year’s meeting was particularly important as WECAN enters its second year as a Foundation. Discussions focused on defining the strategic direction and setting clear goals for the year ahead, with a strong focus on patient needs and the realities faced by organisations in different countries. A key theme throughout was how WECAN can have the greatest impact as a collective. The discussions highlighted the value of collaboration across cancer types. While experiences may differ, many challenges are shared, creating opportunities to learn from one another and strengthen advocacy efforts.

WECAN brings together cancer patient organisations from across Europe and beyond, providing a platform to collaborate, share knowledge, and strengthen the patient voice in cancer care and policy.

The World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition has been a member of WECAN since 2019, contributing to joint efforts to improve patient outcomes and ensure that the perspectives of people affected by bladder cancer are represented within the wider cancer community.

As WECAN continues to grow, the retreat helped set a clear direction for the months ahead, with a shared focus on collaboration and impact.

To learn more about WECAN, please visit wecanadvocate.eu.