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As committee member of the Chinese Psychosoical Oncology Society of Chinese Anti-Cancer Association (CPOS), my practice is to promote the concept of clinical psychological care, to carry out hospice services and to benefit patients with advanced cancer in China. Under the chronic disease management mode, I try to carry out comprehensive symptom management and psychological science education for cancer patients. And routine psychological assessment is carried out. Also, I give oral presentations in IPOS 2021 and 2022. I get publications in Psycho-oncology, Front Public Health, BMJ Support Palliat Care, Scientific Report. “The prevalence of psychological disorders among cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: a meta-analysis” has been published in Psycho-oncology.

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I work with an interdisciplinary team that provides comprehensive care to cancer patients and their families, under the Mental Health and Addictions Observatory of the Interdisciplinary Studies Centre of the National University of Rosario. This team carries out inter-institutional activities with different types of organisations, providing the community with workshops, informative talks and psychological care, all free of charge. Thanks to the fact that many activities are online, people from all over Latin America have access to them. I really enjoy all these activities, because they are always carried out in an atmosphere of joy, hope and mutual support. I started studying at the age of 38 without having much idea of what to expect, I found this team when I was about to finish my degree and from that moment on I started to train with them and to participate in all the activities they propose, and once I graduated I was able to start working as a psychologist for the community of patients who come to the team. I'm very glad to join with IPOS, thank you very much!

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Emma Rheel, Ph.D., obtained a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy in 2017 at Ghent University, Belgium. In Oct 2018 she started working as a PhD student within the Pain in Motion (PAIN) research group, Dept. of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, and the Ghent Health Psychology Lab, Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology,  Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Her PhD research focused on the role of robot-led distraction, pain science education and parental responses in understanding alterations of pain-related outcomes in children with (chronic) pain. Emma defended her PhD titled “Pediatric pain – the impact of parental responses and pain science education upon pain-related outcomes” on October 5, 2022. Currently, Emma has a part-time postdoc position at the VUB in the Pain in Motion (PAIN) research group, in combination with a part-time position at the Dept. Education and Student affairs (educational innovation) at the VUB. Emma was introduced to IPOS in 2021 by IPOS members Prof. Dr. Lauren Heathcote (member of IPOS Editorial Board) and Prof. Dr. Fiona Schulte, through collaborating on a pediatric psycho-oncology topical review. She is very much looking forward to her first IPOS World Congress in Milan from August 31 to September 3, 2023.

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Qiuping Li, RN, PhD, FAAN, is a professor of Jiangnan University and Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University (Jiangsu province, China). Prof. Li is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and an Active Member of International Psycho-Oncology Society. Prof. Li has a strong background in cancer-related research and clinical practice in cancer care. With her strong commitment to research and collaborative spirit, Prof. Li has published numerous journal papers, and books / chapters, and has received many awards throughout her career for her excellent contributions in nursing education and research. Prof. Li is one of the first researchers to draw attention to the needs of both cancer patients and the family caregivers in China. Her conceptualization of the ‘Live with Love Conceptual Framework’ has played a key role in guiding the development of interventions to care for couples experiencing cancer. Through various funded research projects, her work in academic literature has been used as evidence to formulate healthcare policies, contributing to the professional practice in healthcare. Being a nurse scientist, Prof. Li works closely with the nursing communities in the region to promote nursing research and foster social and professional network.

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I am a medical school graduate of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon. I completed my family physician and palliative care training and successfully defended my PhD thesis on Dignity Therapy in 2014. My daily activity and passion are divided into palliative care clinical practice, research and teaching. Married to a beautiful, honest, intelligent and outstanding woman, and father of two beautiful, kind, funny and sweet sons. Family is the most important part of my life and my most difficult and responsible profession. I love art in general, classical music, opera, ballet, painting, sculpture, literature, and poetry. I rode horses for many years and love horses. I like dogs. I love Bonsai trees and grew many during my adolescence. I do not intend to be consensual, I never did. I want to keep doing things for passion, fun and usefulness. 

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@TriageCancer is hosting a FREE online Conference on Saturday, May 20, for anyone in the cancer community! Learn about navigating insurance, finances, & other cancer-related legal and practical issues that impact psychosocial health and financial toxicity. Health care professionals can earn free CEs & invite their patients. Register today: TriageCancer.org/Conferences.

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I am Melba D’Souza, registered nurse and a nurse educator at Nursing and Population Health, Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia. My program of research addresses decision-making, public policy, and health promotion for improving the health and well-being of people living with cancer and diabetes mellitus among immigrants, refugees, the elderly, and 2SLGBTQ+ in rural communities. My inspiration to work is promoting healthy public policy and practices which promote human rights, sovereignty, and social justice to be examined beyond the distribution of resources to include the recognition of differences and inclusion of voices of non-dominant groups in society to move toward greater equity, diversity, inclusivity and healthy policies for people. I have applied an intersectionality lens to promote inclusion, social justice, critical cultural analysis, examining access to healthcare, and use of healthcare resources to reduce health disparities, which is aligned with the work of the International Psycho-Oncology Society and Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology. My research in psychosocial oncology is focused on social, gender, and cultural issues facing people affected with an illness spectrum, and the need for continuity for developing better coordination of healthcare services and reducing the impacts of environmental health on psychosocial, emotional, and mental health outcomes.

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Hi all, I am currently a clinical fellow of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NY, USA. After doing my medical school in India I finished my Psychiatry residency from SUNY Downstate Medical Center and then came onto this 1 year clinical fellowship.

My primary interest in Psycho-Oncology grew from a reading of Dr. Viktor Frankl's works, and then was further strengthened by witnessing Dr. William Breitbart's application of Frankl's meaning centered approach to the psychological symptoms in Cancer. At present, I feel Psycho-Oncology is still a nascent field, yet an extremely promising one. The IPOS is serving as a global scaffold for people who would be eager to learn from each other about this fascinating field. Would like to contribute in any way possible. 

Interesting fact: I am an avid reader and a history buff, in particular WW2. Also play amateur guitar.

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Giedre Bulotiene is a Licensed Psychiatrist counseling cancer patients and their families for more than 20 years. In 2007 Giedre Bulotiene defended her doctoral thesis " Factors influencing emotional status and quality of life of women with early stages of breast cancer“. G. Bulotiene is the author of more than thirty scientific publications. Her research interests: distress, depression and suicidal risk in cancer patients; efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions in cancer care and factors reducing the professional burnout of medical staff. G. Bulotiene is an Assoc. Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University. She is supervising bachelor‘s and master's thesis and conducting lectures and seminars on psychosomatics/psycho-oncology. In 2021 G. Bulotiene published a book "Peculiarities of doctor communication in the face of death. Methodical recommendations“. In 2016 G. Bulotiene was a leader of the international project “Efficiency research of Internet-based psychological treatment for cancer patients”; 2011 – 2013 - leader of the international project "Improving access to psychosocial services for oncology patients and their families by strengthening NGO”. G. Bulotiene is a member of the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) and of Palliative Care subcommittee (SIG). She is a former president of the Lithuanian Psychosocial Oncology Association 2007 -2017.

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Dr. Balfour is triple board-certified in psychiatry, dermatopathology and anatomic pathology and is Ivy-league trained. She started Discreet Medical, PC to focus on patients with mental challenges and comorbid conditions. She is one of the few experts in psycho-oncology and psycho-dermatology in the world, and serves as Assistant Clinical Professor in both the Departments of Psychiatry, and Pathology/Cell Biology, at Columbia University in New York. Dr Balfour enjoys her work and provides compassionate care to her patients.

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