MELODIC

About MELODIC

Each year, 3 million people in the EU receive a cancer diagnosis, including an increasing number of young adults (YAs) under 50. While survival rates are improving, the psychological and emotional toll of cancer remains significant.

Young adults with cancer face unique mental health challenges. Research shows that YA cancer survivors are 57% more likely to develop depression and 29% more likely to experience anxiety compared to their peers without cancer. The mental health of families and caregivers is also profoundly affected but is often overlooked.

MELODIC is set to address these urgent issues.

This EU-funded project is dedicated to improving the mental health and wellbeing of young adults with cancer and their caregivers during the first year after diagnosis. To achieve this, MELODIC focuses on understanding the specific mental health challenges faced by YAs and their families through in-depth interviews and surveys.

Using these insights, the project aims to empower healthcare professionals (HCPs) by developing and delivering an online training programme to enhance their skills in early detection, screening, and management of mental health needs. MELODIC is also piloting an innovative intervention that combines physical activity in natural environments with targeted information support.

The project not only addresses immediate mental health needs but also establishes a sustainable framework for improving psychosocial oncology care, aligning with EU health priorities.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.