06 - What is a Patient Pillar? How Patient Representatives are Shaping BBMRI-ERIC and Biobanking - Part One

“Cancer is traumatising, and you want to forget it as soon as possible, but some of us believe our experiences can be useful for others.”

This first of a two-part episode looks at the work of the BBMRI Stakeholder Forum Patient Pillar that brings together patient organisations from across Europe to help shape BBMRI’s biobanking related priorities and policies.

You will meet two members of the Patient Pillar:

• Kathi Apostolidis, Past President and Chair of the Scientific Committee of the European Cancer Patient Coalition - ECPC
• Dr. Stefanie Hourwaart, member of the Scientific advisory board coordinator for the BRCA Network, Germany and Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the German Biobank Node (GBN).

They explore, from their personal experiences, why patient advocacy and the Patient Pillar matters.

Listen to part two to meet Jana Pavlič-Zupanc, Head of Public Affairs at BBMRI-ERIC, and Eric Vermeulen, Chair of the Stakeholder Forum and Patient Pillar. 

You can find out more about the Stakeholder Forum Patient Pillar on the BBMRI-ERIC website: https://www.bbmri-eric.eu/stakeholder-forum/